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DUNIGAN & BROTHERS NEW AND IMPROVED EDITION. 



THE 



THIRD BOOK 



OF 



READING LESSONS. 



BY THE BROTHERS OF THE CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS. 



REVISED, WITH A SUPPLEMENT. 




APPROVED OF BY THE 

BROTHER PROVINCIAL 

OF THE BROTHERS OF THE CHRISTIAN SCHOOLS IN AMERICA. 



I* 



NEW YORK: 
EDWARD DUNIGAN AND BROTHER, 

151 FULTON-STREET, NEAR BROADWAY. 

FOR SALE BY BOOKSELLERS GENERALLY. 

1852. ^,_ 



JZu^**^*^^* <*»*4o 4lu**t *Z&*~*~ 



* 






Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1852, by 

Edward Dunigan & Brother, 

In the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Southern District of 

New York. 






PREFACE. 



The Third Book of Reading Lessons, of which a new 
edition is now presented to the Public by the Christian 
Brothers, will be found to correspond in matter and ar- 
rangement with the foregoing parts of the series. In its 
adaptation to the analytic, or explanatory mode of instruc- 
tion, as well as in the order, variety, and graduated scale of 
the lessons, it will be found, not only to harmonise with the 
educational system of the Institute from which it emanates, 
but to exhibit its peculiar features. 

In the short sketches of History, Geography, and Sci- 
ence, which are scattered throughout the work, the com- 
pilers have endeavoured to select whatever was most pictu- 
resque and striking, for the purpose of exciting the interest 
of the youthful mind, by the charms of truth, and present- 
ing the wonders of nature in so strong a light, as to render 
the marvels of fiction tame and feeble in comparison. In 
order to accommodate the length of the extracts to the ca- 
pacity of the class of readers for whom the Third Book is 
designed, and to afford the teachers an opportunity of prac- 
tical illustration, it has been considered expedient to render 
the lessons as short as the nature of the subjects would ad- 
mit. By the miscellaneous character of the arrangement, 
an opportunity is afforded of training the pupil to habits, 
not only of observation, but of reflection ; the first, by a ref- 



f 



> .4, 



4 PREFACE. 

erence to living objects, or to the scenes and characters of 
real life ; the second, by the impressive appeals of religious 
truth, which, apart from their moral effects, possess a para- 
mount influence in giving a reflecting tone to the mind. As 
the facts of religion have furnished at all times the best ref- 
utation of its adversaries, it has been considered judicious, 
occasionally to vary its didactic lessons with brief extracts 
from the history of the Christian Church. 

Among the moral and religious pieces in prose and poe- 
try, the pupils of the Christian Schools will recognise the 
effusions of one whose voice once supplied the lessons now 
furnished by his writings, and whose living example im- 
pressed the moral which his memory must illustrate for the 
future. The look of attention and the tone of benevolence, 
in which these lessons were conveyed, will indeed be missed, 
but his spirit will still speak to the hearts of those over 
whom he bent with more than parental solicitude. In re- 
calling the memory of one who, for their sakes, forsook not 
only the first circle of literary distinction, but the more en- 
dearing one of kindred and of home, it will not fail also to 
convey the salutary truth, that the highest attainments of 
the scholar may be still further exalted and ennobled by re- 
ligion ; that the lustre of genius never appears to such ad- 
vantage as through the veil of humility ; and that the moral 
beauty of virtue itself acquires an additional charm, when 
exercised in the cause of charity. 



CONTENTS. 



Page 

Eules for Beading and Eeeitation, 10 

Introductory Lesson on Eeading, 11 

The English Language, Blair 308 

Prefixes, Affixes, and Eoots of Words, 401 



MOEAL AND EELIGIOUS LESSONS. 

Importance of Early Habits, Massillon 13 

Christian Fortitude, Veith 27 

Adherence to Truth, EEcole des Mceurs 37 

The Fallen Leaf, Anon. 42 

First Communion, Studenmaier 44 

Hollandtide, G. Griffin 59 

The Journey to Betlilehem, Dr. Wiseman 62 

Eespect for Old Age, Addison 73 

The Zealous Child, Lettres Edifiantes 86 

Humility, the Foundation of Patience, Butler 100 

Providential Deliverance, Eire Geramb 110 

Forgiveness of Injuries, .Manzoni 124 

Death of a Young Friend, .G. Griffin 129 

St. Bridget, Moore 144 

The Flower Everlasting, G. Griffin 163 

Modesty and Humility, Manzoni 177 

The Cross of the South, Humboldt 191 

The Duties of Scnool-boys, Eollin 201 

The Seven Churches, G. Griffin 223 

Influence of Eeligion on the Tyrolese, Allison 244 

Prayer, Massillon 269 

Excellence and Uses of the Eye, G. Griffin 275 

The Everlasting Church, Edinburgh Review 332 

Death of the Christian, , Chateaubriand 337 



SCIENCE. 

Of the Fixed Stars, Joyce 92 

Influence of Heat on the Creation, Arnott 121 

On Light, r .Id. 168 

Properties of Matter, Id. 198 

Steam Navigation, 241 

On the Laws of Motion, « • . . .Joyce 252 

The Diving-Bell, Cyclopedia 258 

Gravity or Attraction, Arnott 272 

Architecture, , Cyclopedia 286 

1* 



6 CONTENTS. 

CHUECH HISTORY. 

Pacre 

The Life of our Lord, Dbllmger 76 

Establishment of the Church, /d. 114 

Christianity in Britain, Lingard 116 

Destruction of Jerusalem, Bollinger 132 

Virtues of the Early Christians, Reeve 160 

The Emperor Constantine, Bollinger 182 

Final Destruction of the Temple, Bercastel 209 



GEOGRAPHY. 

Great Wall of China, Smith's Wonders 17 

•The Banks of the Savannah, Dr. England 25 

Ice Islands and Icebergs of Spitzbergen, Goldsmith 30 

Remarkable Lakes, Smith's Wonders 54 

Natural Divisions of the Earth, C. B. 155 

Europe, Id. 173 

Asia, Id. 194 

The Lakes of Killarney, darkens Wonders 204 

Africa, O.B. 219 

Glendalough, Wakeman 226 

America, C. B. 236 

The North Cape, Anon. 262 

Oceanica, Matte Brun 278 

The Giant's Causeway, Clarke's Wonders 291 

Guadaloupe, Dr. England 297 

Figure of the Earth, O.B. 302 

Norwegian Winter, :..... Inglis 314 

Solar System, O. B. 320 

African Deserts, Clarke's Wonders 325 

Passage of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers through the Blue 
Ridge, Jefferson 358 



NATURAL HISTORY. 

Animal Sagacity, Smith's Wonders 15 

The Cork-Tree, Mayo 18 

The Leopard and Panther, Aikman 22 

The Locust, „ Id. 32 

The Coffee-Tree, Vegetable Productions 35 

The Tiger, Aikman 49 

Indian-Rubber and Sponge, Mayo 55 

The Cassique, Waterton 69 

The Vampire, Id. 95 

The Wadding-Tree, Zettres Edifiantes 102 

The Hippopotamus, Aikman 119 

The Habitation of Moles, Smellie 135 

Foreign Currants — Tamarinds — Saffron — Camphor, Mayo 137 

The Papyrus, Cabinet Library 148 

The Rein-Deer, Library of Entertaining Knowledge 157 

The Habitation of Bees, Smellie 184 

Mammalia, '.'.' Cuvier 227 

Various Uses of Trees and Plants, Popular Philosophy 230 

Birds, Cuvier 249 

Fishes, Cyclopedia 283 

Reptiles, Cuvier 295 

Insects, Cyclopedia 305 



CONTENTS. 7 

POETICAL LESSONS. 

Pft?8 

Arguments for the Love of God, G. Griffin 24 

Loss in Delays, .Southwell 33 

The Morning Lark, Thomson 35 

The Captive Lark, Logan 46 

The Traveller at the Source of the Nile, Mrs. Btmans 57 

Hymn of the City, Bryant 64 

The Deserted Village, Goldsmith 71 

The Drowning Fly, Anon. 72 

Hymn to the Blessed Virgin, Keble 84 

Providence, from Filicaja 85 

Time and Eternity, G. Griffin 91 

Vision of Baltassar, Byron 106 

Switzerland, Goldsmith 113 

Hymn of a Child at waking, Lamartine 126 

Come not, Lord, in Terrors, Moore 128 

The Three Crows, Byrom 140 

Stages of Life, Rill 141 

The Dying Christian to his Soul, Pope 153 

Ave Maria, Scott 154 

Devotion, a Vision, G. Griffin 165 

The Kainbow, Campbell 177 

To the Cuckoo, Logan 180 

The Annunciation, Mrs. Hemans IS! 

The Cross of the South, Id. 191 

The Sisters of Mercy, W. 193 

Innisfallen, Moore 207 

Nature's Miracles, Cowper 214 

Chance, Croly 216 

The Choice of Friends, G. Griffin 240 

To my Mother, H. K. White 246 

The Crucifixion, Anon. 247 

The Fire-Fly, Rogers 248 

There is a joy of heavenly birth, M. S. 262 

To the Blessed Virgin, G. Griffin 265 

Prayer, Anon. 272 

Who is thy Neighbour ? Anon. 281 

Sonnet, H. K. White 282 

Jephte's Daughter, M. S. 300 

Occupations of Bees, Shakspeare 301 

Green Kiver, Bryant 312 

Mercy, Shakspeare 314 

A Comparison, Cowper 317 

The Housebuilder, Khemnitzer 324 

Bemorse, from Filicaja 325 

The Flying Fish, Moore 334 

Destruction of Jerusalem, Byron 335 

Pilgrim's Hymn, Hogg 336 

Dangerous Effects of Fancy, Scott 337 

Fragments, 108, 121, 136, 190, 208, 236, 278, 332 



MISCELLANEOUS LESSONS. 

Whang the Miller, Goldsmith 19 

The Simoom, Cabinet Library 39 

Church of our Lady near Bologna, Eustace 48 

Origin of the Early Inhabitants of Ireland, ..T 51 

Snow Houses, Copt. Franklin 65 



8 CONTENTS. 

Papro 

Foundation of Knowledge, Arnott 67 

Politeness, Mrs. Chapone 74 

Natural Philosophy of Children, Rollin 82 

Progress of Civilisation, Arnott 89 

Shipwreck of the Children of Henry I., IAngard 97 

Porcelain Tower, Nankin, Smith's Wonders 104 

Poor Richard, Franklin 1 08 

Glass,— Putty, Mayo 142 

The Catacombs, Eustace 146 

Manufacture of Tape, Manchester as it is 150 

The Colossus at Rhodes, Rollin 170 

Euins of the Colosseum, Sir II. Davy 186 

Influence of Music, G. Griffm 188 

A Quarrel, H.D.B. 203 

Silk, ; Mayo 212 

Irish Music, Moore 217 

iEolian Harp, Arnott 234 

Pope Pius VII. and Napoleon, Allison 266 

Euins of Herculaneum, Kotzebue 317 

The Vatican Library, Eustace 329 

Discovery of America, Robertson 339 

Story and Speech of Logan, an Indian Chief, Jefferson 348 

Grandeur and Moral Interest of American Antiquities, T. Flint 350 

The American Indian, as he was, and as he is, C. Sprague 355 

Account of the First Hostile Attack upon the American Colonists, 

by the British Troops, in the War of the Revolution, Boita 360 

Address of the Eoman Catholics to George Washington, 369 

Answer to the Eoman Catholics in the United States, . . Washington 371 

Archbishop Carroll's Eulogium on General Washington, 373 

Conduct of La Fayette in the American Eevolution, . ..J. Q. Adams 383 

Address to the Survivors of the Battle of Bunker Hill, Webster 385 

Character of Napoleon Bonaparte, Phillips 387 

Character of the Irish Peasantry, Sir Jonah Barrington 391 

The Founder of Maryland, Bancroft 394 

The Settlement of Maryland, Id. 397 



RULES FOR READING AND RECITATION. 

1. Give the letters their proper sounds.* 

2. Pronounce the vowels, a,f e, i, o, u, clearly, giving to 
each its proper quantity. 

3. Pronounce the liquids, I, m, n, r, with considerable 
force. 

4. Distinguish every accented letter or syllable by a pe- 
culiar stress of voice. 

5. Read audibly and distinctly, and with a deliberation 
suited to the subject. 

6. Pause sufficiently at each point, but not so long as to 
break that connexion which one part of a sentence has with 
another. 

*J. The meaning of a sentence is often elucidated by paus- 
ing where none of the usual marks could be inserted. 

8. Give every sentence, and member of a sentence, that 
inflection of voice, which tends to improve either the sound 
or the sense. 

9. Whilst monotones, judiciously introduced, have a pow- 
erful effect in diversifying delivery, children should be guard- 
ed against their too frequent use. 

* The consonants, d, g, s, t, x, and the vowel e, unless accented, are 
silent, when terminating French words. 

f The vowel a, in Latin, is sounded like a in at, and never re- 
ceives the English sound of that letter, as heard in ale. In the Ex- 
planatory Headings prefixed to the following lessons, when the ac- 
cent (') is placed immediately after a vowel, as in pu'pil, it denotes 
that the vowel has its long sound ; but when the accent is placed • 
immediately after a consonant, as in pun'ish, it indicates that the 
sound of the vowel is short. In both cases, the syllable so marked 
is the emphatic one. In monosyllables, the long vowel sound is in- 
dicated by (-) over the vowel, — as, fate; and the short sound by (~) 
over the vowel, — 2^, fat. 



10 RULES FOE READING. 

10. Every emphatical word must be marked with a force 
corresponding with the importance of the subject. 

11. At the beginning of the subject, the pitch of the voice 
should be low, but audible. To this rule there are some 
exceptions in poetry, and even in prose. 

12. At the commencement of a new paragraph, division, 
or subdivision, of a discourse, the voice may be lowered, and 
allowed gradually to swell. 

13. In reading or discoursing on sacred, or religious sub- 
jects, let gravity and solemnity be observed. 



INTRODUCTORY LESSON. 

ON READING. 

Good reading is an imitation of correct and elegant speak- 
ing. Reading differs from speaking in this, that in the lat- 
ter, we express our own ideas, in our own language ; in the 
former, we express the ideas of others, in theirs. A reader 
should endeavour to seize the meaning of his author, make 
his opinions and sentiments his own, and so to read as to in- 
fuse them into the minds and hearts of his hearers. For this 
end, he should attend to six things ; namely, — pronuncia- 
tion, punctuation, accent, emphasis, the proper modulation 
of his voice, and, lastly, to the time with which he reads. 

By pronunciation is meant — the giving to every word and 
syllable the sound which accords with the most polite usage 
of the language. A slight, mincing pronunciation of the ac- 
cented vowels, an indistinct pronunciation of the unaccented 
ones, a slurring of the final consonants, and the omission of 
/ and d in of and and, are faults which should be carefully 
avoided. The beauty of pronunciation depends on the cor- 
rect sound and judicious prolongation of the vowels ; its dis- 
tinctness, on the exact and firm expression of the consonants. 

By punctuation is meant — a due regard to the pauses 
which the sense or beauty of a passage may require. To 
connect words which are naturally separated, or to separate 
those which are naturally connected, may materially alter 
the sense of what is read. Every word or phrase conveying 
a distinct idea requires a pause. The length of the pauses 
must depend on the nature of the subject; but, generally, 
the length given to one, determines the length of the others. 
The reader's judgment must here be exercised, that he may 
use such pauses as will mark most accurately the sense or 
beauty of the passage he is reading. 

Accent is a stress of the voice laid on particular syllables 
and words ; depending on ordinary custom when laid on syl- 



12 INTRODUCTORY LESSON. 

lables, and on their relative importance when laid on words , 
Nouns, adjectives, principal verbs, adverbs — when not mere- 
ly connective, — demonstrative and interrogative pronouns, 
interjections, and words put in opposition to each other, are 
accented : all others are unaccented. Qualifying words, and 
those which, in each passage, limit the sense, should receive 
the more forcible, or primary accent ; and words of minor 
importance, the less forcible, or secondary accent. 

Emphasis is a peculiar expression given to words or mem- 
bers of sentences, which we desire particularly to distinguish, 
and usually, if not always, suggests some contrast. It is 
often placed on unaccented words, and may be expressed by 
a higher or lower tone of the voice, by a pause, or by some 
peculiarity in the manner of the reader. A misplaced em- 
phasis annuls or materially alters the sense of a passage. 
The well known example, ". Do you ride to town to-day ?" 
is, by altering the emphasis, susceptible of at least four dif- 
ferent meanings. 

Modulation of the Voice. — The middle pitch, or ordinary 
speaking tone of the voice, is that which should most usually 
be chosen. As a general rule, the reader should suit his 
tone or pitch to the size of the room in which he reads, or 
to the distance at which he is to be heard. As he proceeds, 
his tones should swell, and animation increase with the in- 
creasing importance of his subject. 

Time. — A lifeless, drawling manner of reading is always 
wearisome and disagreeable ; but the more ordinary fault of 
young persons is precipitancy. Against the latter, therefore, 
they should be especially cautioned, as, having once grown 
habitual, it is more difficult to be corrected. 

A reader should adapt his manner to the nature of his 
subject, avoiding every appearance of constraint and affecta- 
tion on the one hand, and of bashful timidity on the other. 
Thus, he will please and instruct his hearers, and improve 
his ordinary manner of speaking, by the habit of correctness 
he will have thus acquired. 



THIRD BOOK 



OP 



READING LESSONS 



§ 1. LESSON I. 

IMPORTANCE OF EARLY HABITS. 

Corruption, n., wickedness. K* corruption, from ruptum, L., and 

this, probably, from rumpo, I break or destroy. 
Char'acters, n., the persons with their assemblage of qualities. 

L. and G. character, from charasso, G., I stamp, I cut, <fcc. 
UNCHA'NGEABLE,f a., fixed, immutable. F. changer, to turn, — of 

doubtful etymology. 
Felic'ity, n., happiness. F. felicite, from felix, L., happy. 
Misfor'tune, 7i., calamity. F. infortune, from /or «, L., chance. 
Encour'aged, v., cherished. F. en-courage, from cor, L., the heart — 

the heart being the seat of courage. 
Propensity, n., inclination. F. and S. propension, from pendeo, L., 

I hang or lean. 
Impor'tunate, a., disquieting. L. im-portunus, (portus, a port), 

without a port or resting-place. 
Insupportable, a., intolerable. F. insupportable, not to be borne, 

from porto, L., I carry. 
Tumul'tuous, a., confusedly agitated. L. tumultuosus, from tumeo, 

I swelL 

1. We shall not gather in old age that which was 
not sown in youth. If you " sow corruption," says the 
Apostle, "you shall reap corruption." You say 
every day yourselves, that we always die as we have 

* Abbreviations. — L. Latin ; G. Greek ; S. Spanish ; I. Italian ; 
F. French ; Ger. German ; D. Dutch ; A.S. Anglo-Saxon, <fec. 

f For signification of the prefixes tin, mis, en, im, in, and of the 
affixes -able, -ity, &c, see Lists of Prefixes and Postfixes, commencing 
at page 401. 

2 



14 THIED BOOK OF 

lived ; that characters are unchangeable ; that we 
carry into advanced life all the faults and passions 
of our early days, and that there is no greater happi- 
ness than to form in our youth those laudable incli- 
nations which accustom us, from childhood, " to the 
yoke of the Lord." 

2. If we regarded only our repose in this life, and 
had no other interest than to prepare for ourselves 
quiet and happy days, what previous enjoyment it 
would be, to stifle in their birth, and turn at last to 
virtue, so many violent passions which afterwards 
rend the heart, and cause all the bitterness and 
misfortune of life ! What felicity, to have encouraged 
none but innocent and amiable propensities, to be 
spared the wretched recollection of so many criminal 
pleasures, which corrupt the heart and sully the 
imagination, leaving a thousand shameful and im- 
portunate images, which accompany us almost into 
virtue, survive our crimes, and are frequently the 
cause of new ones ! What happiness to have passed 
our first years in tranquil and harmless pleasures, to 
have accustomed ourselves to contentment, and not 
contracted the mournful necessity of engaging in 
violent and criminal pleasures, making the peace 
and sweetness of innocence and virtue insupportable, 
by the long indulgence of ardent and tumultuous 
passions ! 

3. When youth is passed in virtue and in dread of 
vice, it draws down mercy on the remainder of our 
lives ; the Lord himself watches over our paths ; we 
become the beloved objects of his special care and 
paternal goodness. 

Masillon. 



READING LESSONS. 15 



LESSON II. 

INSTANCE OF ANIMAL SAGACITY. 

Expression, n., the act of representing anything. F. expression, 

from premo, L. , I press. 
Apprehend', v., to fear. F. apprehender, from prehendo, L., I 

seize. 
Discovered, v., espied. F. decouvrir, to uncover, to disclose. Ety- 
mology disputed. 
Amuse 'ment, n., diversion. F. amusement, from musa, L., a song, a 

muse. 
Distinction, n., difference. F. distinction, from stinguo, L., I put or 

place out. 
Impatiently, ad, eagerly. L. impatiens, from patior, I suffer. 
Await 'ing, pt, expecting. Ger. wachten, to watch or wait. 
Cub, n., the young of a lion, fox, or bear. The term is probably 

from L. cubo, I lie down, because the cub does not go out of its 

den for prey, as the elder animals do. 
Content'edly, ad., in a well-pleased or satisfied manner. I. conten- 

temente, from teneo, L., I hold, possess, or enjoy. 
Benefac'tor, n., he that confers a benefit. F. bienfaiteur, from bene- 

facio, L., — bene, well, and facio, I do. 

(For signification of ex, ap, or ad, dis, em, &c, ; and of -ent, -ly, -ment, 
<fec, see the Lists of Prefixes and Affixes, pages 401-3). 

1. A seaman belonging to the wood party of a ship 
upon the African coast, by some means found him- 
self alone. He, however, continued to use the axe 
in felling a large tree, when a large lioness ap- 
proached him. 

2. The man, at the moment, gave himself up as lost ; 
but very soon after, he began to perceive that the 
manner and expression of the animal were mild, 
and even mournful, and that he had no danger to 
apprehend from her. She first looked at him, and 
then behind her, and upwards into the trees, then 
went a few paces from him upon the path by which 
she had come, and then returned, and went again, 
and acted much as a dog would that wished you to 
follow him. 



16 THIRD BOOK OF 

3. The seaman yielded to her obvious desire, and 
she led him some little distance, till, near the foot of a 
tall tree, she stopped and looked up, with plaintive 
cries, into its branches. The sailor, thus directed, 
looked into the tree, and soon discovered, at a con- 
siderable height, an immense ape, dandling and play- 
ing with a cub lion, which he had carried thither for 
his amusement. The wants and wishes of the lioness 
were now easily understood. 

4. The lion species, though usually reckoned among 
the species of cat, differs absolutely from it in this 
as in many other particulars, that it cannot ascend a 
tree ; a distinction which ought to satisfy us at once 
of the error of those who talk to us of lions in 
America, where, in reality, there is no lion, and 
where the puma and jaguar, which they call lions, 
so readily ascend trees. 

5. But equally in vain would it have been for the 
sailor to climb after the cub, for the ape would have 
enjoyed the frolic, by leaping with its prey from 
branch to branch ; so the only chance was, to apply 
the axe at the bottom of the tree. To work, there- 
fore, he went ; the lioness, which had seen other 
trees felled by the axe of the stranger, standing by, 
and impatiently awaiting the event. 

6. The ape kept his seat till the tree fell, and then 
fell with it ; and the lioness, the moment the robber 
reached the ground, sprang upon him with the swift- 
ness and sureness of a cat springing upon a mouse, 
killed him, and then taking her cub in her mouth, 
walked contentedly away from the benefactor, to 
whose skill and friendly assistance she had made, 
her appeal. 

Smith's Wonders. 



READING LESSONS. J 7 



LESSON III. 

GREAT WALL OF CHINA. 

Stupendous, a., wonderful. L. stupendus, from stupeo, I am stunned 

or astonished. 
Bound' ary, n., limit. F. borne, border. Etymology uncertain. 
Mas'terpiece, n., anything made with extraordinary skill. F. chef- 
d'oeuvre, — chef, the head, principal, and ceuvre, work. 
Industry, n., assiduity. L. industria : — indu, within, and struo, I 

pile up. 
Ge'nius, n., mental power. L. genius, from the ancient G. and L. 

geno, I beget. 
Perseve'rance, n., constancy in progress. F. perseverance, from seve- 

rus, L., rigid, severe. 
Conpuct'ed, pt., carried. L. conductus, from duco, I lead. (Con, 

p. 401.) 
Bas'tion, n., a bulwark. F. bastion, from batir, to build, probably 

from basis, G., a foot ; and hence base, that on which anything 

rests. 
Compu'ted, pt., estimated. L. computatus, from puto, I reckon, I 

lop off. 
Materials, n., the substances of which things are made. L. mater ice, 

from mater, mother. 

1. This stupendous wall, which extends across the 
northern boundary of the Chinese empire, is the 
greatest masterpiece of industry, genius, and perse- 
verance. It is conducted over the summits of high 
mountains, several of which have an elevation of not 
less than 5,225 feet (nearly a mile), across deep val- 
leys, and over wide rivers, by means of arches. In 
many parts it is doubled or trebled, to command im- 
portant passes ; and, at the distance of nearly every 
hundred yards, is a tower or massive bastion. Its 
extent is computed at 1,500 miles ; but in some parts, 
where less danger is apprehended, it is not equally 
strong or complete, and, towards the northwest, con- 
sists merely of a strong rampart of earth. Near 
Koopekoo, it is twenty-five feet in height, and at the 
top, about fifteen feet thick : some of the towers, 

2* 



18 THIED BOOK OF 

which are square, are forty-eight feet high, and about 
forty feet wide. The stone employed in the founda- 
tions, angles, &c, is a strong grey granite ; but the 
materials, for the greater part, consist of bluish bricks, 
and the mortar is remarkably pure and white. It 
was built, according to Du Halde, by the emperor 
Chien-Chu-Toang, about 221 years before Christ. 
Although it has been built upwards of 2,000 years, 
it yet remains quite firm and compact. 

Smith's Wonders. 



LESSON IV. 



THE CORK-TREE 



Longitu'dinal, a., running in the longest direction. I. longitudinal 'e, 
from longus, L., long, of long extent. 

Incis'ion, n., a cut inwards. F. incision, from cido, L., I cut. 

Curv'ed, a., bent, inflected. L. curvus, from curvo, I turn, I bend. 

Exportation, n., the act of carrying out to other countries. F. ex- 
portation, from porto, L., I carry. 

Principal, «., chief. F. principal, from princeps, L., first, chief. 

Elasticity, n., a power in some bodies of springing back, when bent 
or stretched, to their original position. F. elasticitc, from elauno, 
G., I repel. 

Insert'ed, pt., placed in other things. L. insertus, from sero, I join, 
I knit. 

Ten'dency, n., natural aptness. I. tendenza, from tendo, L., I aim, I 
stretch. 

Ap'erture, n., an opening. L. apertio, from aperio, I open. 

Buoy'ant, a., floating. D. boeye, F. bouee, a buoy, from bois, wood. 
(For signification of ex, in, -ity, -ency, <fcc., see p. 401-2.) 

Cork is the bark of a kind of oak, growing chiefly 
in Spain. When it is to be removed from the tree, 
a longitudinal slit is cut, at the extremities of which, 
incisions are made round the trunk ; it can then be 
stripped off with great ease, by means of a curved 
knife, with a handle at both ends. When the bark 



READING LESSONS. 19 

is taken from the tree, it is piled up in a clitch or 
pond, and heavy stones are placed upon it, in order 
to flatten it. After being dried, it is slightly burned 
or charred, and then packed for exportation. One 
principal use of cork is to stop bottles, for which pur- 
pose it is fitted by its elasticity. A piece rather lar- 
ger than the neck of the bottle being inserted, the 
tendency it has to resume its former shape causes it 
completely to fill up the aperture, and exclude the 
air. Its buoyant effect in water, arising from its 
lightness, renders it useful to those who are learning 
to swim ; for the same reason, it is employed in the 
construction of life-boats, and for the floats of fishing 
nets. The Spaniards make lamp-black of it. The 
men employed in cutting and preparing it for sale, 
are called cork-catters. 

Mayo. 



LESSON V. 



WHANG, THE MILLER. 

Avaricious (-rish'-), a., covetous. F. avaricieux, from aveo, L., I de- 
sire or covet. 
Ea'gerness, n., keenness of desire. F. aigreur, from acer, L., sharp, 

A.S. eggian, to incite to. 
Frugality, n., economy. F. frugalite, from frugi, L., thrifty. 
In'terval, n., time between assignable points. L. inter -vallum^ a 

space between the stakes fixed in the vallum or wall of a camp. 
Contem'plate, v., to gaze upon. I. and L. contemplate, — con, and 

teniplum, from temenos, G.,'a place cut off, a sanctuary; as such 

were so seated as to be exposed to public view. 
Af'fluence, n., wealth ; abundance. F. affluence, from fiuo, L., I 

flow. 
Mat'tock, n. } a pickaxe or delving topi. A.S. meotiuc, — meos, moss, 

and togen, to tear up. 
Cir'cumstance, ti., incident. F. circonstance, from sisto, L., I stand. 
Transports, ti., raptures. R transports, from porto, L., I carry ; to 

carry beyond. 



20 THIED BOOK OF 

Undermi'ned, pt, excavated under. D. onder-mynen, probably from 

L. minare (ob.), to draw or lead. 
(For signification of -?iess, -ity, inter, con, circum, and trans, — see 

from jo. 401 top. 403.) 

1. "Whang, the miller, was naturally avaricious ; 
nobody loved money better than he, or more respected 
those who had it. When people would talk of a rich 
man in company, Whang would say, " I know him 
very well ; he and I have been long acquainted ; he 
and I are intimate." But if ever a poor man was 
mentioned, he had not the least knowledge of the 
man : he might be very well for aught he knew ; but 
he was not fond of making many acquaintances, and 
loved to choose his company. 

2. Whang, however, with all his eagerness for 
riches, was poor. He had nothing but the profits of 
his mill to support him ; but though these were small, 
they were certain ; while it stood and went, he was 
sure of eating ; and his frugality was such, that he 
every day laid some money by, which he would at 
intervals count and contemplate with much satisfac- 
tion. Yet still his acquisitions were not equal to his 
desires ; he only found himself above want, whereas 
he desired to be possessed of affluence. 

3. One day, as he was indulging these wishes, he 
was informed that a neighbour of his had found a pan 
of money under ground, having dreamed of it three 
nights running before. These tidings were daggers 
to the heart of poor Whang. " Here am I," says he, 
" toiling and moiling from morning till night for a 
few paltry farthings ; while neighbour Thanks only 
goes quietly to bed, and dreams himself into thou- 
sands before morning. Oh ! that I could dream like 
him ! With what pleasure would I dig round the 
pan ! how slyly would I carry it home ! not even my 



READING LESSONS. 21 

wife should see me : and then, oh ! the pleasure of 
thrusting one's hand into a heap of gold up to the 
elbow !" 

4. Such reflections only served to make the miller 
unhappy : he discontinued his former assiduity ; he 
was quite disgusted with small gains, and his custom- 
ers began to forsake him. Every day he repeated 
the wish, and every night laid himself down in order 
to dream. Fortune, that was for a long time unkind, 
at last, however, seemed to smile on his distresses, 
and indulged him with the wished-for vision. He 
dreamed, that under a certain part of the foundation 
of his mill there was concealed a monstrous pan of 
gold and diamonds, buried deep in the ground, and 
covered with a large flat stone. 

5. He concealed his good luck from every person, 
as is usual in money dreams, in order to have the 
vision repeated the two succeeding nights, by which 
he should be certain of its truth. His wishes in this 
also were answered ; he still dreamed of the same 
pan of money in the very same place. 

6. Now, therefore, it was past a doubt : so getting 
up early the third morning, he repaired alone, with 
a mattock in his hand, to the mill, and began to 
undermine that part of the wall which the vision 
directed. The first omen of success that he met was 
a broken ring ; digging still deeper, he turned up a 
house-tile, quite new and entire. At last, after much 
digging, he came to a broad flat stone, but then so 
large, that it was beyond man's strength to remove 
it. " Here !" cried he in raptures to himself; " here 
it is ; under this stone there is room for a very large 
pan of diamonds indeed. I must e'en go home to 



22 THIRD BOOK OF 

my wife, and tell her the whole affair, and get her to 
assist me in turning it up." 

7. Away, therefore, he goes, and acquaints his 
wife with every circumstance of their good fortune. 
Her raptures on this occasion may easily be im- 
agined : she flew round his neck and embraced him 
in an ecstacy of joy ; but these transports, however, 
did not allay their eagerness to know the exact sum; 
returning, therefore, together to the same place 
where Whang had been digging, there they found — 
not, indeed, the expected treasure — but the mill, 
their only support, undermined and fallen. 

Goldsmith. 



LESSON* VI. 

THE LEOPARD AND PANTHER. 

Leop'ard n., a spotted beast of prey. F. leopard, L. leopardus ; — 
pardus, from parad, Heb., to separate. 

Spe'cies (shez), n., a class of nature. L. species (anything seen), 
from specio, I see. 

El'egance, n., beauty without grandeur. F. elegance, from elegans, 
L., handsome. 

Viv'idness, n., liveliness, L. vivacitas, — vivo (from bio, G.), I live. 

Confluence, n., a concourse. F. confluence, from fluere, L., to flow. 

An'telope, n., a variety of the gazelle, an animal partaking of the 
nature of the goat and deer, said to have received its name from 
the extreme beauty of its eyes. G. anthos, a flower, or anything 
beautiful, and ops, the eye. 

Nat'uralist, n., one acquainted with the system of natural and ma- 
terial being. F. naturaliste, from nascor, L., I am born. 

Opin'ion, n., notion. F. opinion, from opinor, L., I think. 

Predominate, v., to prevail. F. predominer, from dominate, L., to 
rule. 

Independent, a., exclusive. F. independent, not hanging from, from 
pendere, L., to hang. 

(For signification oi-ence, -ist, pros, in, and -ent,see pages 401-3). 

1. The Leopard is an inhabitant of the woods of 
Africa and Southern Asia. The usual length of his 



BEADING LESSONS. 23 

body is three feet, of his tail two feet three inches, 
and his height somewhat more than two feet. He is 
distinguished from all other species by his graceful- 
ness and elegance ; by the vividness of his colouring, 
yellow on the upper parts, white on the breast, belly, 
and inside of the limbs ; and by the beauty of his 
markings, which consist of numerous rows of large 
rose-like spots passing along the sides, each formed 
of the confluence of several smaller black spots, into 
an irregular circle, enclosing a fawn-coloured centre : 
his whiskers are long and white. His prey consists 
of antelopes, hares, and monkeys, which last he pur- 
sues up the trees. When famished, he will attack, 
but by stealth, the human race. He may be tamed, 
but can never be entirely trusted. A female leopard, 
in the Tower, 1829, allowed herself to be patted by 
her keepers, but discovered a strange propensity for 
snatching umbrellas, parasols, hats, muffs, and other 
articles of dress, and tearing them in pieces, to the 
great astonishment of the plundered visiters. The 
male was sullen and savage. 

2. The Panther is classed with the leopard ; but 
as yet it is not decided by naturalists, whether it is 
to be considered a distinct species, or only a larger 
variety of the same, though the former opinion ap- 
pears to predominate. The panther is found chiefly, 
if not solely, in Africa ; is more than six feet in 
length, independent of the tail, which is about three. 
Major Denham killed one that measured more than 
ten. He is spotted like the leopard, but the colours of 
his skin are not so brilliant. His habits are similar 
to those of the tiger. 

Aikman's Animal Kingdom. 



24 THIRD BOOK OF 



LESSOR VII. 

ARGUMENTS FOR THE LOYE OF GOD DERIVED FROM 

CREATION. 

1. And ask ye why he claims our love? 
O answer, all ye winds of even, 

O answer, all ye lights above, 

That watch in yonder dark'ning heaven ; 
Thou earth, in vernal radiance gay 

As when his angels first arrayed thee, 
And thou, O deep-tongued ocean, say 

Why man should love the mind that made thee, 

2. There's not a flower that decks the vale, 
There's not a beam that lights the mountain. 

There's not a shrub that scents the gale, 
There's not a wind that stirs the fountain, 

There's not a hue that paints the rose, 
There's not a leaf around us lying, 

But in its use or beauty shows 
True love to us, and love undying. 

3. For in the past, ere time began, 
Ere first the new-made sun ascended, 

Or light illumed the world, and man 

Arose amid the order splendid ; 
Even then, for thee, that bounteous Mind, 

Unasked, amid the wide creation, 
In far futurity designed 

Thy dwelling fast and lasting station. 

4. And seek we arguments of love, 
And ask we who he is that claims it ? 



READING LESSONS. 25 

Mark yonder sun that rolls above, 

Obedient to the will that aims it ; 
Go watch, when treads the silent moon 

Her maiden path o'er earth and ocean, 
Or see yon host at starry noon 

Koll onward with majestic motion. 

5. Are these not lovely ? Look again, 
Count every hue that clothes the valley, 

Each grain that gilds the autumn plain, 
Each song that wakes the vernal alley. 

All that in fruit or flower is found 

To win the taste, or charm the vision ; 

All — all that sight, or scent, or sound, 
Or feeling hath of joy elysian ; 

6. That calm that lulls the noontide hour, 
The mild repose of power appalling, 

The rain that feeds each opening flower, 
Like mercy's tear-drops sweetly falling ; 

Those show what our Creator was, 
"While man preserved his early duty, 

"What still to those, his later laws 

Who keep, in all their stainless beauty. 

Q. Griffin. 



LESSON VIII. 



THE BANKS OF THE SAVANNAH. 

At'mosphere, n., the mass of air surrounding our globe. F. atmos- 
phere, from atrnos, G-., breath, vapour, and sphaira, a sphere, or 
globe. 

Botan'ical, a., herby ; relating to plants. F. botanique, from botany 
G-., an herb, from bosko, I feed. 

3 



26 THIRD BOOK OF 

Vari'ety, n., diversity. F. variete, from varius, L., different. 
Spec/imen, ti., a sample ; a part of anything exhibited that the rest 

may be known. L. specimen, from specio, I see. 
Interming'led, pL, mixed between. A.S. mcengan, to mingle ; G. 

misgo, I mix. 
Transient, a., short, momentary. F. transitoire, from transitus, L., 

a passing. 
Alliga'tor, 7i., a large species of lizard ; the crocodile of America. 

S. lagarto, L. lacerta, from lacertus, strength, force, a lizard, a fish. 
Trop'ical, #., placed near the tropic whence the sun appears to turn. 

L. tropicus, from trepo, GL, I turn. 
Exhala'tjon, n., vapour. F. exhalation, from halo, L., I breathe. 
Pestilence, n., a virulent, devastating infection. F. pestilence, from 

pestis, L., a plague. 

(For Prefixes and Affixes see lists, p, 401 ) 

1. There is little variety on the banks of the Sa- 
vannah. To Augusta, with very few exceptions, they 
are low, and thickly wooded with oak, gum, cypress, 
pine, and the cotton-tree. Tou must not mistake 
this for the cotton-plant. The plant seldom grows 
over two or three feet ; the tree will, upon the river 
side, shoot up five, and sometimes ten feet in a year, 
until it makes sixty feet, often one hundred and 
twenty. It throws off a sort of useless down, that 
has the appearance of cotton : the atmosphere is filled 
with it in some places, having the appearance of 
light snow, thinly falling. Besides these, willows of 
both kinds may be seen ; and, when the boat stops 
at a landing, you will find a great botanical variety 
in the undergrowth. I have sometimes, within an 
area of a few acres, collected twenty beautiful speci- 
mens in twenty minutes, one of which is a very pretty 
cherokee rose. 

2. The perfume of the blooming magnolia is, at a 
distance, refined and delicate, but is too strong for 
use at a near approach : in many instances it is high 
and towering. The dogwood is covered with a beau- 
tiful white flower, like a thin rose ; it is not often 
over twenty feet in height, — seldom so high. Inter- 



READING LESSONS. 27 

mingled with these, you will perceive a variety of 
flowering vines, the sweetest of which, decidedly, is 
the jessamine ; but, like most of the sweets of life, 
it is very transient. 

3. There are a few plantations here which exhibit 
Indian corn, which has an appearance of strength, 
richness, and verdure, on the low grounds ; also, cot- 
ton, and mounds or hillocks of sweet potatoes. Cane- 
brakes are found in several places. On the other 
hand, the decaying trunks of great trees disfigure 
the land, and they float upon the surface of the 
muddy river, and drift against the banks. In the 
midst of these, you may frequently see the alligator 
watching for his prey, or sleeping in the burning 
rays of an almost tropical sun ; and in the summer, 
the exhalations of the swamps breed pestilence; thus 
blending the goods and the ills, the enjoyments and 
the miseries of life. 

Dr. England. 



LESSON IX. 



CHRISTIAN FORTITUDE. 

Domes'tic, n., an attendant. L. domesticus, from domus, a house. 
Cruc/ified, a., transfixed to a cross. L. crucifixus, from crux, a 

cross. 
Barbadians, h., rude, fierce, cruel men. Anciently, all who were 

strangers to the language and manners of the Greeks were called 

barbarians. L. barbaries, from barbarus, and this from barbaros, 

G., uncivilised. 
Idoi/atrous, a., idol-worshipping. F. idoldtre ; L. idoluni, and G., 

eidolon, an idol. 
Sov'ereign, n., a supreme ruler. F. souverain ; I. sovrdno, from su- 

pernus, L., supreme. 
Intimida'tion, 7i., the act of intimidating. F. intimidation, from ti- 

mere, L., to fear. 



28 THIED BOOK OF 

Alternately, ad., in reciprocal succession. L. alterne, from alter, 

L., the other. 
Persecuted, a., harassed. L. persecutes, from sequor, I follow, I 

pursue. 
Mar'tyrdom, n., the death of a martyr. L. martyrium, from martyr, 

L. and G., a witness. 
Ob'stinacy, n., persistency. L. obstinatio, from stino, I fix. 

1. Joram Macata, a noble Christian of Japan, be- 
ing condemned to death on account of his religion, 
bade a last and mournful farewell to his wife, his 
children, and his domestics, and exhorted them to 
seek their safety in flight. As soon as he was alone, 
he prostrated himself before a figure of his crucified 
Lord, and there continued in fervent prayer. Even- 
ing approached, and with it came two hundred 
armed men to execute the sentence of his death. 
They came thus prepared, as they expected to en- 
counter the numerous friends of Macata, assembled 
to protect him, or to die in his defence. For a long 
time they remained drawn up around the house, won- 
dering at the lonely silence that reigned there, till, 
at length, one of the party entered, and finding all 
abandoned, returned to his companions, and said, 
" Macata has fled !" But he, at that moment appear- 
ing, exclaimed aloud, " Macata has not fled — he is 
here, and impatient for the happiness to die for Je- 
sus Christ/' The barbarians rushed upon him and 
gratified his longings by severing his head from his 
body. 

2. Again, let us open the history of the same age 
and nation. Titus, a virtuous Christian of Bungo, 
had been tempted by his idolatrous sovereign to 
abandon his faith in Jesus Christ. Promises and in- 
timidation were alternately employed, but in vain. 
He was then commanded to surrender his young son, 
Matthew, to the will of his prince. Amidst threats 



HEADING LESSONS. 29 

and allurements, the youthful confessor remained 
steadfast in the profession of his religion ; and after 
two days it was told to the persecuted father, that 
his tender child had died by the hand of the execu- 
tioner. But another victim must be sacrificed to the 
offended deities of Japan. His virgin daughter, 
Martina, is demanded for the offering. " Hasten to 
the king, my child," says the heroic father, " and tell 
him, that virtue is not measured by years, and that 
faith knows no distinction between sex or age." The 
messenger of glad tidings soon returned, bearing in- 
formation that Martina had followed her brother, and 
that the eldest son, Simon, w r as then expected. Si- 
mon followed in the path in which his brother and 
sister had walked to martyrdom, and betrayed no 
feelings of sorrow or of fear. A few days passed by, 
and another messenger came to this Christian Job, to 
announce to him that his eldest son had paid with 
his life for his obstinacy, and that a similar fate was 
impending over him and his consort, should they de- 
termine to persevere in their impiety. They were 
then summoned to the presence of the monarch, and 
•when all the arts of persuasion, and the terrors of a 
cruel death, were found of no effect, the king threw 
open thd door of an adjoining apartment, and led 
forth their two sons and daughter to the enraptured 
parents, declaring to his princes and nobles, that 
such generous self-devotion merited his warmest ap- 
probation. 

Veith. 
3* 



SO THIED BOOK OF 



LESSON X. 



ICE-ISLANDS AND ICEBERGS OF SPITZBERGEN. 

Tremen'dous, a., terrible. L. tremendus, to be startled at, dreadful, 

from tremo, I shake. 
Nav'igators, n., mariners. L. nautce, from navis, L., from naus, G., 

a ship. 
Congeal 'ed, pt, frozen. L. congelatus, from gelu, frost. 
Opaque (o-pake'), a., not admitting any light to pass through. F. 

opaque, from opacus, L., dark, shady. 
Approximation, n., the act of approaching. F. approximation, from 

proximus, L., nearest. 
Phenomenon, n., an appearance. G. pkainomenon, from phaino, I 

appear, I show. 
Aggregate, n., a collection of things brought together in one. F. 

agregat, from grex, gregis, L., a flock. (Ad, p. 401). 
Collision, n., the striking of two bodies together. F. collision, from 

Icedo, L., I injure, I hurt. 
Latitude, n., a particular degree reckoned from the equator. F. 

latitude, from latus, L., broad. 
Inaccessible, a., not to be arrived at. F. and S. inaccessible, from 

cedo, L., I yield place or passage ; I go. 
Precip'itate, v., to fall violently. L. prcecipito, I fall headlong, from 

caput, the head. 

1. The name of ice-islands is given by sailors to a 
great quantity of ice collected into one huge mass? 
and floating upon the seas near or within the polar 
circles. Many of these are to be met with on the 
coast of Spitzbergen, to the great danger of the ship- 
ping employed in the Greenland fishery. In the 
midst of these tremendous masses, navigators have 
been arrested in their career and frozen to death. 
The forms assumed by the ice in this chilling climate 
are pleasing to the most incurious eye. 

2. The surface of that which is congealed from the 
sea-water, is flat, even, hard, and opaque, resembling 
white sugar, and incapable of being slidden on. The 
greater pieces, or fields, are many leagues in length ; 



* 



READING LESSONS. 31 

the lesser, are the meadows of the seals, on which, 
at times, those animals frolic by hundreds. 

3. The approximation of two great fields produces 
a most singular phenomenon; they force smaller 
pieces out of the water, and add them to their own 
surface, till at length, the whole forms an aggregate 
of tremendous height. They float in the sea like so 
many rugged mountains, and are sometimes five or 
six hundred yards thick, the far greater part of which 
is concealed beneath the water. Those which remain 
in this frozen climate receive continual growth ; oth- 
ers are by degrees wafted into southern latitudes, and 
melt gradually by the heat of the sun, till they waste 
away and disappear in the boundless element. 

4. The collision of the great fields of ice in high 
latitudes is often attended with a noise that, for a 
time, takes away the sense of hearing anything else, 
and that of the smaller, with a grinding of unspeak- 
able horror. The water which dashes against the 
mountainous ice, freezes into an infinite variety of 
forms, and gives the voyager ideal towns, streets, 
churches, steeples, and every shape which imagina- 
tion can frame. 

5. Besides the fields of ice in high latitudes, there 
are icebergs, as they are called, or large bodies of 
ice, that fill the valleys between the high mountains 
in northern latitudes. Among the most remarkable 
are those of the east coast of Spitzbergen. They are 
seven in number, at considerable distances from 
each other ; each fills the valleys for tracts unknown, 
in a region totally inaccessible in the interior parts. 
The first exhibits a front three hundred feet high, 
"emulating the emerald in its green colour : cataracts 
of melted snow precipitate down various parts, and 



32 THIUD BOOK OF 

blocked spiry mountains, streaked with white, bound 
the sides, and rise, crag above crag, as far as the eye 
can reach in the back ground. 

Goldsmith. 



LESSON XL 



THE LOCUST. 



Rav'ages, n., pillages. F. ravages, from ravir, from rapere, L., to 

seize upon ; and this from A.S. reafian, to reave, to tear away. 
Prover'bial, a., notorious. F. proverbial, mentioned in a proverb, — 

from verbum, L., a word. 
Prophet r ic, a., predictive. L. propheticus, from phemi, G., I speak. 
Visita'tion, n. t the act of visiting. F. visitation, from video, L., I 

see. 
Inevitable, a., unavoidable. F. inevitable, from evito, L. — e and vito, 

I shun. 
Lam'entable, a., deplorable. F. lamentable, from lamentor, L., I 

bewail. 
Vegeta'tion, n. } growth without sensation. F. vegetation, from vegeo, 

L., I quicken. 
Obliterate, v., to efface. I. and L. obliterare, to blot out, from litera, 

L., a letter. 
Innox'ious, a., free from mischievous effects. L. in-noxius, from no- 

ceo, I hurt. 
Unpal'atable, a., nauseous, — from palatum, L., the palate or roof of 

the mouth, — the taste. 

(For signification of ob, e, in, un, -able, &c, see p. 401-3.) 

1. The locust is that destructive insect whose rav- 
ages are proverbial — whose approach, from the in- 
numerable myriads that compose their squadrons, is 
announced in prophetic language as a day of dark- 
ness and gloominess — a day of clouds and of thick 
darkness ; and whose desolating march is thus de- 
scribed : " The land is as the garden of Eden before 
them, and behind them a desolate wilderness ; yea, 
and nothing shall escape them." The visitation of a 
few minutes destroys the husbandman's hope of the 



READING LESSONS. 33 

year, and a famine is always the inevitable conse- 
quence. In the tropical climates, however, their 
presence is not attended with such lamentable conse- 
quences as in the south of Europe. There the power 
of vegetation is so rapid and strong, that a compara- 
tively short interval only is required to repair the 
damage ; but in Europe, a year at least is requisite 
to obliterate their footsteps. Sometimes a strong 
wind brings deliverance from the pest, and the shores 
of the Mediterranean have been covered for miles 
with their dead carcasses ; but even then they are 
not innoxious, for the stench arising from their putre- 
faction is apt to occasion contagious diseases. 

2. The locust is about three inches long, and has 
two feelers, each an incli in length ; the upper wings 
are brown, with small dusky spots ; the under side 
purple. The natives of the country where they most 
frequently appear, roast and eat them, and in some 
cases pickle and preserve them, as a small, wretched 
substitute for the better provisions they have de- 
stroyed. There are reckoned upwards of two hun- 
dred species, of which several are used by the natives 
of Africa and India as ordinary food, and are said 
not to be unpalatable, 



LESSON XII. 

LOSS IN DELAYS. 

1. Shun delays, they brefcd remorse ; 
Take thy time, while time is lent thee ; 

Creeping snails have weakest force, — 
Fly their fault, lest thou repent thee : 



34 THIED BOOK OF 

Good is best when soonest wrought, 
Ling'ring labours come to nought. 

2. Hoist up sail while gale doth last, 
Tide and wind stay no man's pleasure ; 

Seek not time, when time is past, 
Sober speed is wisdom's leisure : 
After-wits are dearly bought, 
Let the fore-wit guide thy thought. 

3. Time wears all his locks before, 
Take, then, hold upon his forehead : 

When he flies, he turns no more ; 
And behind his scalp is naked : 
Works adjourn'd have many stays, 
Long demurs bring new delays. 

4. Seek thy salve while sore is green, 
Fester'd wounds ask deeper lancing ; 

After-cures are seldom seen, 
Often sought, scarce ever chancing : 
In the rising stifle ill, 
Lest it grow against thy will. 

5. Drops do pierce the stubborn flinty 
Not by force, but often falling ; 

Custom kills with feeble dint, 
More by use than strength prevailing ; 
Single sands have little weight, 
Many make a drowning freight. 

6. Tender twigs are bent with ease, 
Aged trees do break with bending ; 

Young desires make little prease, 
Growth doth make them past amending : 
Happy man, that soon doth knock 



JBabel's babes against the rock. 



Southwell, 



READING LESSONS. 35 

THE MORNING LARK. 

1. Feather'd lyric, warbling high, 
Sweetly gaining on the sky, 
Op'ning with thy matin lay 
(Nature's hymn !) the eye of day, 
Teach my soul, on early wing, 
Thus to soar and thus to sing: 

2. While the bloom of orient light 
Gilds thee in thy tuneful flight, 
May the day-spring from on high, 
Seen by Faith's religious eye, 
Cheer me with his vital ray, 
Promise of eternal day ! 

Thomson. 



lesson xin. 



THE COFFEE-TREE. 

Cul'tivated, pt, reared, improved. L. cultus, from colo, I till. 

Jes'samine, n., a plant, so called because the bees delight in its flow- 
ers ; jasrne was the name of an apiary of bees. 

Teg'ument, n., the outward part. F. tegument, from tego, L., I 
cover. 

Separated, pt, unattached. L. separatus, from separo, I divide. 

Tart'ness, n., sourness. A.S. teart, sharp, sour, from tir-an, to ir- 
ritate. 

Trav'eller, w., one who visits foreign countries. F. travailleur, from 
travailler, to labour. 

Profession, n., employment. F. profession, from profiteri, L., to 
profess, to offer. 

Introduced, v., brought into practice. L. introductus, from duco, I 
lead. 

Medic/inal, a., salutary. F. medicinal, from medeor, L., I cure, I 
heal, — and this from medomai, G-., to have care of. 

Narcot'ic, a., torpid. G. narcotihos, from narkoein, to benumb. 

1. The coffee-tree is cultivated in Arabia, Persia, 
the East Indies, the Isle of Bourbon, and several 



36 THIED BOOK OF 

parts of America. The plant, if left to itself, would 
rise to the height of sixteen or eighteen feet, but it 
is generally stunted to five, for the convenience of 
gathering its fruit with greater ease. Thus dwarft, 
it extends its branches so, that it covers the whole 
spot round about it. It begins to yield fruit the 
third year, but is not in full bearing till the fifth. 
It is covered with a grey smooth bark, and shoots 
out through the whole length of its stem, a growth 
of branches, which are always opposite to each other, 
arranged in pairs in the same manner. From the 
bottom of the leaves spring fragrant white flowers, 
very much like those of the jessamine ; and when 
the flowers or blossoms drop off, they leave a small 
fruit behind, which is green at first, but reddens as 
it ripens, and is like a hard cherry, both in shape 
and colour. Two, three, or more of these berries, 
grow together on the same part of the twig, each 
coated with a husk or tegument, enclosing another 
and finer skin, in which two seeds or kernels are con- 
tained, which are what we call coffee. 

2. The fruit is usually gathered in May, which is 
done by shaking the trees, the berries falling on 
cloths, spread underneath to receive them. These 
being laid on mats to dry in the sun, the outer husks 
are opened and separated, by drawing rollers of wood 
or iron over them ; after which, the berries are ex- 
posed to the sun a second time, and then sifted clean 
for use. The husks, however, are not wasted, for 
the Arabs use them, as we do the berries, and the 
drink made of them having a little tartness, is cool- 
ing and pleasant in the heat of summer. The drink 
made of coffee-berries has been common in Europe 
above a hundred years, and much longer among the 



v READING LESSONS. 37 

Turks. Coffee was first brought into France by the 
famous traveller, M. Thevenot ; and a Greek, called 
Pasqua, who was brought to England as a servant 
in 1632, first set up the profession of a coffee-house- 
keeper, and introduced the use of the liquor among 
us. 

3. The medicinal qualities of coffee seem to be de- 
rived from the grateful sensation which it produces 
in the stomach. It is taken in large quantities, with 
peculiar propriety, by the Turks and Arabians ; be- 
cause it counteracts the narcotic effects of opium, to 
the use of which those nations are much addicted. 
Amongst us, coffee is not only used at breakfast, but 
very commonly after dinner. 

Vegetable Productions. 



LESSON XIV. 



ADHERENCE TO TRUTH. 

Qualities (kw6l'-). n., virtues, accomplishments. Qualitas, L., in 

general, means kind, manner, nature, <fcc. ; and is from qualis, of 

what sort. 
Univer'sal, a., general. F. universe!, from unus, L., one, and verto, 

I turn. 
Mor'tified, pt, vexed. L. mortificatus, from ??iors, death. 
Sincerity, n., candour, ingenuousness. F. sincerity from cera, L., 

and this from keros, G., wax. Sine-cera is applied to honey freed 

or cleansed from the mixture of wax. 
Af'ternoon, n. f the time from mid-day to evening. A.S. cefternon ; 

non is from nonus, L., ninth. 
Simplic/ity, n., (here means) silliness. L. simplicitas : — sine-plica, 

means without fold. Plico, L., I fold, from pleko, G., I plait. 
Generos'ity, ?i., the quality of being generous. L. generositas, from 

genus, kind. 
Calum'niator, ti., a slanderer. L. calumniator, said to be from calu- 

turn, the obsolete supine of calvor, I deceive. 

4 



38 THIRD BOOK OF 

Indiscretion (-cresb/-), n., rashness. F. indiscretion, from cerno, L., 

from krino, G-., I see, sift, judge, &c. 
Ridic'ulous, a., laughable, contemptible. L. ridiculus, from rideo, I 

laugh. 

1. The duchess of Longueville, whose great quali- 
ties merited for her universal esteem, being unable 
to obtain from Lewis XIV a favour which she par- 
ticularly requested, was so sensibly mortified, as to 
let fall some expressions of disrespect. The only 
one who heard her, related them to the king, who 
immediately spoke on the subject to the Great Conde, 
brother to the duchess. The prince assured his 
majesty, that his sister never could have spoken in 
those terms if she had not lost her senses. " Well," 
said Lewis, " I shall believe herself if she sav the 
contrary." The prince accordingly went to his sis- 
ter, who owned the entire. He endeavoured in vain, 
for a whole afternoon, to persuade her, that her usual 
sincerity, on such an occasion, would be nothing 
better than ridiculous simplicity; that he, in justify- 
ing her in the king's eyes, had believed he spoke 
truth ; and that, at all events, she would please his 
majesty better by denying, than by acknowledging 
her fault. " Do you wish," said the duchess, " that 
I should endeavour to repair one fault by commit- 
ting a still greater one, and that not solely against 
the king? I cannot prevail on myself to deceive him, 
when he has the generosity to depend on my word. 
He who betrayed me, acted unkindly, but I will not 
make him pass for a calumniator, as in reality he is 
not such." 

2. She went the following day to the court, threw 
herself at the king's feet, avowed her indiscretion, 
and assured him that she would much rather own 
the fault, than be justified at the expense of another. 



READING LESSONS. 39 

Lewis XIV, by an act equally heroic, not only par- 
doned her from his heart, but granted her other 
favours she had not expected, and treated her ever 
after with the utmost distinction. 

L'ECOLE DES M(EURS. 



ADHERENCE TO TRUTH (CONTINUED). 

3. Petrarch, a celebrated Italian poet, who lived 
about five hundred years ago, recommended himself 
to the confidence and affection of Cardinal Colonna, 
in whose family he resided, by his candour and strict 
regard to truth. A violent quarrel occurred in the 
house of this nobleman, which was carried so far that 
recourse was had to arms. The Cardinal wished to 
"know the foundation of this affair; and, that he 
might be able to decide with justice, he assembled 
all his people, and obliged them to bind themselves 
by a most solemn oath on the Gospels, to declare 
the whole truth. Every one, without exception, sub- 
mitted to this determination ; even the Cardinal's 
brother was not excused. Petrarch, in his turn, pre- 
senting himself to take the oath, the Cardinal closed 
the book, and said, " As to you, Petrarch, your word 
is sufficient." 



LESSON XY. 

THE simoom. 

Sulphu'reous, a., strong like brimstone. L. sulphureus. The L. sul- 
phur , is from holos, G., all, and pur, fire. 

Sat'urated, pt., impregnated. L. saturatus, from satis, enough. 

SuFFOCA'Tion, n., the act of choking. F. suffocation. L. suffocare, to 
stifle (sub, and faux, the jaws), to quell or kill by pressing the 
jaws together. 



40 THIRD BOOS OF 

Rar'efied, pt., subtilised or made thin. L. raref actus, from rarus, 

thin, and facio, I make. 
Convulsions^ n., irregular violent motions. F. convulsions, from vello, 

L., to tear, to twitch. 
Putrefaction, n., rottenness. F. putrefaction, from putris, Tj., rotten. 

G.putho, I cause to rot. 
Electric'ity, n., a species of attraction and violent repulsion. F. 

electricite, from electron, G., amber. 
Im'minent, a., threatening. F. imminent, from minere, L., to hang 

over, ready to fall upon. 
Caravan', n., a body of merchants or pilgrims as they travel in the 

East. F. caravane. Per. and Tur. caravansera (kervan, and sarai, 

a house), a house at which caravans sojourn. 
Inhos'pitable, a., affording no refreshment nor shelter. F. and S. 

inhospitable, from hospcs, L., a host, a stranger. 

1. Arabia is frequently visited by the terrible si- 
moom, called by the natives sharniel, or the wind of 
Syria, under whose pestilential influence all nature 
seems to languish and expire. This current prevails 
chiefly on the frontiers, and more rarely in the in- 
terior. It is in the arid plains about Bussora, Bag- - 
dad, Aleppo, and in the environs of Mecca, that it 
is most dreaded ; and only during the intense heats 
of the summer. The Arabs, being accustomed to an 
atmosphere of great purity, are said to perceive its 
approach by its sulphureous odour, and by an unu- 
sual redness in the quarter whence it comes. The 
sky, at other times serene and cloudless, appears 
lurid and heavy ; the sun loses its splendour, and ap- 
pears of a violet colour. The air, saturated with 
particles of the finest sand, becomes thick, fiery, and 
unfit for respiration. The coldest substances change 
their natural qualities ; marble, iron, and water, are 
hot, and deceive the hand that touches them. Every 
kind of moisture is absorbed ; the skin % is parched 
and shrivelled ; paper cracks as if it w r ere in the 
mouth of an oven. 

2. When inhaled by men or animals, the simoom 
produces a painful feeling, as of suffocation. The 



READING LESSONS. 41 

lungs are too rarefied for breathing, and the body is 
consumed by an internal heat, which often termi- 
nates in convulsions and death. The carcasses of the 
dead exhibit symptoms of immediate putrefaction, 
similar to what is observed to take place on bodies 
deprived of life by thunder, or the effect of elec- 
tricity. 

3. When this pestilence visits towns or villages, 
the inhabitants shut themselves up, the streets are 
deserted, and the silence of the night everywhere 
reigns. Travellers in the desert sometimes find a 
crevice in the rocks ; but, if remote from shelter, they 
must abide the dreadful consequences. The only 
means of escaping from these destructive blasts, is to 
lie flat on the ground until they pass over, as they 
always move at a certain height in the atmosphere. 
Instinct teaches even animals to bow down their 
heads, and bury their nostrils in the sand. The dan- 
ger is most imminent when they blow in squalls, 
which raise up clouds of sand in such quantities, that 
it becomes impossible to see to the distance of a few 
yards. In these cases, the traveller generally lies 
down on the lee side of his camel ; but, as the desert 
is soon blown up to the level of its body, both are 
obliged frequently to rise and replace themselves in a 
new position, in order to avoid being entirely covered. 
In many instances, however, from weariness, faint- 
ness, or sleepiness, occasioned by the great heat, and 
often from a feeling of despair, botli men and ani- 
mals remain on the ground, and in twenty minutes 
they are buried under a load of sand. Caravans are 
sometimes swallowed up ; and whole armies have 
perished miserably in these inhospitable deserts. 

Cabinet Library. 
4* 



4:2 THIED BOOK OF 



LESSOR XVI. 

THE FALLEN LEAF. 

Inadver'tently, ad., heedlessly, from L. verto, I turn. 

Memen'to, n., any object calculated to awaken memory. L. memento, 
from memini, I remember. 

Resume', v., to recommence. L. resumere, from sumo, I take. 

Ag'itated, v., disquieted (17th line); put in motion (36th line). 
L. agitatus, from ago, I do or drive ; and this from ago, G., I 
lead. 

Contracted, pt., formed. L. contractus, from traho, I draw. 

Ven'erable, a., ancient. F. and S. venerable, from venero, L., I rev- 
erence, I honour. 

Desola'tion, n., dreariness. F. desolation. I. and L. desolare, to 
make solitary and desert. 

Enjoy'ment, n., fruition. F. enjouement, from joie, joy. 

Fo'liage, n., leaves. L. foliatio, from phullon, G., a leaf. 

Prosperity, n., good fortune. F. prosperity, from prosper, L., suc- 
cessful, and that from (G.) pros, to, and phero, I bear or carry. 

1. " The fallen leaf !" Again and again I repeated 
this sentence to myself, when, after traversing the 
avenue for some time, I had inadvertently stept into 
a heap of these mementoes of the departing year. 
This trivial incident broke in upon a gay and buoy- 
ant train of thought ; and, as for a single moment I 
stood fixed to the spot, the words of the prophet 
fell with a deep and painful meaning upon my 
heart. 

2. I resumed my walk, and would have resumed 
with pleasure the train of thought that had been 
broken, but in vain ; and when I again reached the 
place when the fallen leaves were collected, I made 
a longer pause. With how loud a voice did they 
speak of the end of all things ! how forcibly re- 
mind me that those busy projects, which at that mo- 
ment agitated my heart, would, like them, fade, and 
be carried awav in the tide of life ! 



BEADING LESSONS. 43 

3. The leaves fade away, and leave the parent stem 
desolate : but, in a few short months, they will bud 
and bloom again. Other leaves, as gay as those 
were, will supply their place, and clothe the forest 
with as bright a green. And is it not so with the 
heart ? We are separated from those who are now 
most dear to us, or they fade away into the tomb ; 
new interests are excited, new friendships contracted, 
and every former image is effaced and forgotten. 

4. My eye now rested on the venerable pile of 
building before me : it seemed but as yesterday since 
the master of that stately mansion stood at the gate 
to welcome my arrival ; and now, where was he ? — 
Gone — and for ever ! The accents of his voice were 
never again to be heard ; my eye was to behold him 
no more. 

5. As these thoughts passed through my mind, 
a slight breeze for a moment agitated the naked 
branches : it helped to complete the work of desola- 
tion, and several of the still remaining leaves were 
wafted to my feet. How indiscriminately were here 
mingled the pride of the forest, the majestic oak, the 
trembling aspen, the graceful poplar, with all the 
tribe of inferior shrubs ! Here lay all that remained 
of their once-gay foliage — one undistinguishable mass 
of decay ; with no mark to point out to which they 
had originally belonged. And shall not death, the 
great leveller, reduce us to the same state of equali- 
ty ? The great, the noble, the learned, the beautiful, 
when they lay down their heads in the grave — what 
are they more than the mean, the lowly, and the 
worthless ? They leave a name behind them for a 
short time, and then how soon are the best beloved 
forgotten ! 



s 



44 THIB,D BOOK OF 

6. Feelings such as these must have been felt by 
thousands ; and whilst they serve to temper the en- 
joyment of prosperity, they contribute also to smooth 
the rugged path of life, and calm the sufferings of 
the wounded spirit. Since, whether one day has 
been bright or cloudy, spring and summer must, ere 
long, give place to autumn; and then comes the 
winter, when we, too, must fade as the leaf. 

Anonymous. 



LESSON XVII 



FIRST COMMUNION. 

Commu'nion, n. } the receiving of the Blessed Eucharist. F. commu- 
nion, from munus, L., a gift. 
Catechu'mens, n., persons who are yet in the first rudiments of 

Christianity. F. catcchumenes, from (G.) kata, on or concerning, 

and echeo, I sound. 
Rational (rash'-un-al), a., agreeable to reason. F. rational, from 

ratio, L., and this from ratus, p. pt. of reri, to think. 
Baptis'mal, a., of or pertaining to baptism. F. baptismal, from bapto, 

G., I wash. 
Congregation, n., an assembly met to worship God in public. F. 

congregation, from grex, a flock. 
Monastery, n., a house of religious retirement. G. monasterion, 

from monos, alone ; — whence also monachos, a monk. 
Seclu'sion, n., separation : from L. secludere, to shut in, to confine, — 

se, and claudo, I shut. 
Devo'tion, n., piety. F. devotion ; from votum, L., from voveo, I vow, 

I pray. 
Demeanour (de-me'-nur), n., behaviour : — derivation uncertain. 
Accom'panied' pt., joined. F. accompagner, to attend : — of disputed 

origin. 

1. On the Sunday, which we call White Sunday, 
those children are solemnly admitted to their first 
Communion, whose childhood is drawing towards its 
close, and who are approaching the period of youth. 
White Sunday, (Low Sunday), is this day called, be- 
cause in the first ages of the Church, the catechu- 



EEADING LESSONS. 45 

mens, who were baptized on Holy Saturday, put on, 
on that day, as signs of innocence, white garments, 
and wore them until the Sunday after Easter. To 
this, the Introit, on this Sunday, alludes in the fol- 
lowing words, from the First Epistle of St. Peter : 
" As new-born babes, desire the rational milk with- 
out guile, that thereby you may grow unto salva- 
tion." This is the reason why, on Low Sunday, the 
children are not only admitted for the first time to 
the table of their Lord, but are made solemnly to 
renew their baptismal vows in the presence of the 
whole community. 

2. What an all-important, beautiful, and never-to- 
be-forgotten day is this, thou knowest, dear youth, 
too well from thine own experience, to render it ne- 
cessary for me to draw your attention to the subject, 
and if I now refer to it, it is to excite in our mutual 
breasts a reminiscence of early feelings; for our 
whole life should be a continuation of the Sunday of 
our first Communion. • 

3. For a long period prior to this event, has the 
pastor prepared the youth for this two-fold solemnity. 
In some places, as at Rome, the children spend the 
last ten days in a monastery allotted for the purpose, 
in order that, living there in seclusion from the world, 
from their parents and relatives, they may devote 
themselves to meditation, and to serious preparation 
for the solemn event that is to occur. 

4. At last arrives the expected day. Early, the 
church bell gives the signal. The children assemble 
in the school-house ; and thence, each sex apart, they 
proceed under the superintendence of their teachers 
to the church. This is a highly affecting spectacle : 



46 THIKD BOOK OF 

the boys are clothed alike ; so are the girls ; the latter 
being mostly clad in white dresses, simple, beautiful, 
and modest. But the most beautiful and touching 
of the whole is, the expression of devotion in their 
countenances ; the piety manifested in their gait, 
look, and demeanour. As they approach the church, 
their delicate infantine voices pour forth a hymn ; 
and as they enter singing, the organ strikes up its 
sw x eetest notes, accompanied by a chorus, of the 
clearest, but, withal, the tenderest harmony, like an 
angelic salutation from above. Then the community 
joins in saluting the young members, now admitted 
into its bosom. At the altar, the priest stands await- 
ing them, robed in a long white vestment, and wear- 
ing his stole. He, also, salutes them with amiable 
dignity, and, after they have formed themselves 
round the altar, he calls their attention, in words, 
few, but persuasive and strong, to the important ac- 
tion which they are about to solemnise. 

Studenmaiee. 



LESSON XVIII. 

SONG OF THE CAPTIVE LARK. 

1. ? Tis merry morn — the sun hath shed 
His light upon the mountain-head. 
The golden clews are sparkling now 
On heath and hill, on flow'r and bough ; 
And many a happy song is heard 
From every gay rejoicing bird : 
But never more, alas ! shall I 
Soar up and sing in yonder sky. 



READING LESSONS. 47 

2. Through these harsh wires I glimpse in vain, 
The ray that once awoke my strain ; 
In pain, while coop'd, I fret and pine, 
My useless wings their strength decline. 
Sad is my fate to see the stars 
Pass one by one before my bars ; 
And know, when dawn returneth, I 
No more may sing in yonder sky. 

3t Oh, barbarous you, who still can bear 
This mournful doom to bid me share — 
To see me droop and sadden on, 
With wishful eye, from dawn to dawn ; 
Beating my little breast in wo, 
'Gainst these dread wires that vex me so : 
And my glad passage still deny 
To soar and sing in yonder sky ! 

4. Oh, let me fly — fly up once more ! 
How would my wing delighted soar ! 
What rapture would my song declare, 
Pour'd out upon the sunny air ! 
Oh, let me hence depart ! in vain 
I try to breathe one gladsome strain : 
In this dark den, I pine, I die ; 
Oh, let me fly to yonder sky ! 

Logan. 



48 THIRD BOOK OF 



LESSON XIX. 

CHURCH OF OUR LADY, NEAR BOLOGNA. 

Corin'thtan, a., the fourth of the five orders of architecture, — from 

Corinth, formerly one of the most distinguished cities of ancient 

Greece — now a village. 
Dome, n., a hemispherical arch ; a cupola. F. dome, from domos, G., 

a house. 
Sanc'tuary, n., a sacred asylum ; a holy place. L. sanctuarium, from 

sanctus, holy. ♦ 

Por'tico, n., a piazza or covered walk. L. porticus, from porta, a 

gate. 
Pecu'niary, a., consisting of money. L. pecuniarius, from pecunia, 

money, and that from pecus, & sheep. Before the invention of coin, 

so many sheep were given as the price of articles purchased, and 

probably after its invention each piece was called a sheep, and may 

have been stamped with a sheep upon it. 
Mon'ument, n., a memorial. L. monamentum, from monere, to remind. 
Mod'ern, a., now living. F. moderne, from rnodo, L., now, just now. 
Unpar'alleled, a., unequalled ; from para, G., by the side of, and 

allelon, each other. 
Fertility, n., fruitfulness. Fertilite, from ferre, L., to bear. 
Adja'cent, a., bordering upon. F. adjacent, from jacere, L., to be near. 

1. This church stands on a high hill, about five 
miles from Bologna. It is in the form of a Greek 
cross, of the Corinthian order, and crowned with a 
dome. As the people of Bologna have a peculiar 
devotion to the blessed Yirgin, and crowds flock from 
all quarters to visit this, her sanctuary ; for their ac- 
commodation, in all seasons and every kind of wea- 
ther, a portico has been carried from the gates of the 
city up the hill to the very entrance of the temple, 
or rather to the square before it. This immense 
building was raised by the voluntary contributions 
of persons of every class in Bologna : the richer erect- 
ed one or more arches, according to their means ; the 
middling classes gave their pecuniary aid in propor- 
tion ; and the poorest insisted on contributing their 
labour to the great undertaking. It is, in reality, a 



READING LESSONS. 49 

most noble monument of public piety, and alone suf- 
ficient to prove, that the spirit and magnificence of 
the ancient Romans still animate the modern Italians. 

2. The church is of a fine and well-proportioned 
form, rich in marbles, but overloaded, as we ima- 
gined, with ornaments. It is needless to add, that 
from such an elevation, the view is beautiful ; lost 
on one side in the windings of the neighbouring Ap> 
ennines, and extending on the other over a plain of 
immense extent, and unparalleled population and 
fertility. One circumstance struck us particularly, 
while on the hill. It was the end of March ; the sky 
was clear, and the weather warm, nearly as it may 
be on a bright day in England in the month of May; 
so warm, in short, as to render the shade not only 
pleasing, but desirable ; yet, in various parts of the 
hill, and near the church, the snow lay deep, and in 
vast masses, still likely to resist, for some time, the 
increasing warmth of the season ; so great is the in- 
fluence of such mountains as the Alps and Apen- 
nines on the climate of the adjacent countries. 

Eustace. 



LESSON XX. 



THE TIGER. 

Ti'ger, n., a fierce beast of the leonine kind, so named on account of 

its swiftness. L. tigris, which in the Medians' language signifies 

an arrow. 
Hag'gard, a., wild, strange. F. hagard, untamed, from vagus, L., 

wandering ; or hagar (Heb.), a stranger. 
Insa'tiable, a., greedy beyond measure. F. insatiable, from satis, L., 

enough. 
El'ephant, n., the largest of all land animals. F. elephant, L. and 

G. elephas, a word received from the Tyrians. 

5 



50 THIRD BOOK OF 

Rhinoc'eros, n., a Deast in the East Indies, armed with a horn on the 
nose. F. and L. rhinoceros, G. rhinokeros, — rhi?i, the nose, and 
Jceras, a horn. 

Progeny (prod'-je-ne), n., brood. L. progenies, from gigno, I beget. 

Li'oness, n., a she lion. F. lionne. Lion is said to be derived from 
hlewan, A.S., to roar. 

Inva'der, n., one who enters with hostility into the possession of an- 
other. S. invasor. L. invadere, to go in : — vado, I go. 

Invet'erate, a., obstinate, deep-rooted. L. inveteratus, grown old ; 
vetus, old. 

Hid'eous, a., frightful. F. hideux, perhaps from hydan, A.S., to hide ; 
— being such as one would hide from. 

1. The form of the body usually corresponds with 
the nature and disposition of the animal. The tiger, 
with a body too long, with limbs too short, with a. 
head uncovered, and with eyes ghastly and haggard, 
has no characteristics but those of the basest and 
most insatiable cruelty. For instinct he has nothing 
but a uniform rage, a blind fury ; so blind, indeed, 
so undistinguishing, that he frequently devours his 
own progeny, and if she offers to defend them, he 
tears in pieces the dam herself. 

2. The tiger is found in Malabar, in Siam, in Ben- 
gal, and in all the countries which are inhabited by 
the elephant and rhinoceros. Dellon, in his travels, 
assures us, that there is no country in India in which 
tigers so much abound as Malabar, that there the 
species are numerous, but that the largest of all is 
that which the Portuguese call the royal tiger, which 
is very rare, and is as large as a horse. 

3. The species of the tiger has always been much 
rarer and much less generally diffused than that of 
the lion. Like the lioness, however, the tigress pro- 
duces four or five young ones at a birth. From her 
nature she is fierce at all times ; but when surround- 
ed with her infant progeny, and in the smallest dan- 
ger of losing them, her rage and fury become extrav- 
agant. To oppose the daring invaders of her den, 



READING LESSONS. 51 

she pursues the spoiler with an enmity the most in- 
veterate ; and he, contented to lose a part in order 
to save a part, is frequently obliged to drop one of 
the cubs. With this she immediately returns to her 
den, and again pursues him ; he then drops another ; 
and by the time she has returned with that, he gen- 
erally escapes with the remainder. Should her young 
be torn from her entirely, with hideous cries she ex- 
presses her agony, her despair, and follows the captor 
to the very town or ship in which he may have taken 
refuge, and dares him, as it were, to come forth. 

Aikman's Animal Kingdom. 



LESSON XXI. 

of the original inhabitants, government, laws, 
etc., of ireland. 

Scy'thians, n., the original inhabitants of the countries N. of the Cas- 
pian and Euxine Seas and the adjacent parts of Europe. Scythce, 
from Scythia, — sometimes called Sarmatia. 

Tar'a, n., the place in Meath where the convocation of the States- 
general of Ireland assembled triennially, thence called Temora. Ir. 
Taragh ; sometimes called teagh-mor, the great house. 

Hered'itary, a., falling to one as heir. L. hcereditarius, from hceres, 
an heir. 

Bre'hon, n., one invested with judicial authority : from hrehiv, Ir., a 
judge. 

E'ra, n., a series of years beginning from some known epoch. L. cera : 
of uncertain etymology. 

Restricted, pt., confined, limited. L. restriction, from strictus, tied 
or bound. 

Fos'tering, n, nursing: from fostrian, A.S., to feed or nourish. 

Antiquity (an-tik'-kwe-te), n., great age. L. antiquitas : — antiquus 
or anticus, ancient, is from ante, before. 

Appen'dages, n., things added to other things not necessary to their 
essence. L. appendices, from pendeo, I hang. 

Bel'fries, n., the places where bells are hung : from bell-an, A.S., to 
bellow. 

1. There are many accounts of the origin of the 
earliest inhabitants of Ireland ; the most probable 



52 THIED BOOK OF 

belief is, that Ireland was peopled by a colony of 
Phoenicians, a branch of the great nation of the Scy- 
thians. Ireland was anciently divided into five king- 
doms : — Ulster, Leinster, Connaught, Munster, and 
Meath, each of which was governed by its own 
prince ; but the king of Meath was also paramount 
sovereign of all Ireland, and held his court at the 
palace of Tara. These kingdoms descended not 
from father to son. by hereditary right ; the succes- 
sion was regulated by the law of Tcmistry / — a law 
which restricted the right of succession to the family 
of the prince or chief; but any member of the family 
might be elected successor as well as the eldest son. 
Tanist was the title borne by the elected successor, 
during the life of the reigning prince or chief. The 
Tanist should be a knight, full twenty-five years old ; 
his figure should be tall, noble, and free from blem- 
ish ; he should, moreover, prove his pedigree from 
the Milesians, so called from Milesius, a celebrated 
hero of the Scythic race, who, with his sons, and a 
large colony, coming directly from Spain, settled in 
Ireland several centuries before our era. 

2. The ancient law of Ireland was called the 
JBrehon Law, the most singular feature of which 
was, the almost total absence of capital punishment. 
Murder was punished by a money fine, called an 
eric. The office of Brehon was hereditary, — being, 
like all other great offices in those days, restricted to 
certain families. A custom prevailed in those times 
which still exists in some degree-; namely, the cus- 
tom of fostering. The children of the chiefs and 
nobles were always suckled by the wives of the ten- 
ants. The link thus formed was considered as strong 
as the tie of actual relationship : nay, foster-brothers 
and foster-sisters often loved each other better than 



READING LESSONS. 53 

if they had been the children of the same parents. 
Another custom was that of gossippred. The chiefs 
and nobles frequently became god-fathers to the 
children of their vassals and dependants. One good 
effect of these ancient customs was, that they helped, 
in some degree, to connect different classes in the 
bonds of affection with each other. 

3. There are many remains of early Irish build- 
ings ; of these, the most remarkable are fifty-two 
round towers, of high antiquity, upon the origin and 
purpose of which the learned are much divided. 
Mr. Petrie holds, that the round towers were built 
by Irish Christians, at different periods between the 
6th and 12th centuries, as appendages to their ec- 
clesiastical establishments, as belfries and church- 
castles for protection in time of danger. He grounds 
this opinion upon some very important facts. The 
first is, that the towers never are found unconnected 
with ancient churches ; the next is, that the archi- 
tectural features of the towers are found in the origi- 
nal churches with which they are connected, where 
such remain ; and finally, that Christian emblems 
are on several of them, and others exhibit a style of 
architecture universally acknowledged to belong to 
Christian times, while all have some architectural 
points not seen in any known pagan remains in 
Ireland. 

{Altered from O'iV. Daunfs Cat. of I. His. and Dub. Rev.) 

5* 



54: THIED BOOK OF 



LESSON XXII. 

REMARKABLE LAKES. 

Por'tugal, n., the ancient Lusitania, and most westerly kingdom of 
the European continent. The name is said to be from Porto Calle, 
the port Calle, a town formerly on the Douro. 

Ridge, n., a rough extended line raised above the adjoining surface. 
A.S. hrycge, from hrcec-an, to reach, to extend. 

Unfath'omable, a., not to be sounded by a line. A.S. fcethrn, a 
measure of six feet, from fcethmian, to embrace with each hand ex- 
tended. 

Subterr a'neous, a., lying under or below the surface of the earth. L. 
subterraneus, — sub, and terra, the earth. 

Confirm'ed,j9£, strengthened by new evidence. L. conjlrmatus, from 
firmus, strong, and that from heirmos, G., connected. 

Occasionally, ad., occurring or falling out incidentally. F. par occa- 
sion, from cadere, L., to fall. 

Extraordinary, a., out of, or more than, what is common. F. extra- 
ordinaire, from ordo, L., I arrange. 

Rum'bling, a., a term applied to a hoarse, confused, continual sound. 
Ger. rumpeln, to rattle, from hrcemen, A.S., to make a noise. 

Absorb', v., to swallow up. L. absorbere, from sorbeo, I suck in. 

Pet'rify, v., to change to stone. F. petrifier, from petra, L., a stone, 
and^m, to cause to be. 

On the top of a ridge of mountains in Portugal, 
called Estrella, there are two lakes of great extent 
and depth, especially one of them, which is said to 
be unfathomable. What is chiefly remarkable in 
them is, that they are calm when the sea is so, and 
rough when that is stormy. It is therefore probable 
that they have a subterraneous communication with 
the ocean ; and this seems to be confirmed by the 
pieces of ships they occasionally throw up, though 
almost forty miles distant from the sea. There is 
another extraordinary lake in this country, which, 
before a storm, is said to make a frightful rumbling 
noise, that may be heard at the distance of several 
miles. And we are also told of a pool or fountain, 
called Fervencias, about tw T enty-four miles from 
Coimbra, that absorbs not only w^ood, but even the 



READING LESSONS. 55 

lightest bodies thrown into it, such as corK, straws, 
feathers, &c, which sink to the bottom, and are seen 
no more. To these we may add a remarkable spring 
near Estremos, which petrifies wood, or rather in- 
crusts it with a case of stone ; but the most surpris- 
ing circumstance is, that it throws up water enough 
in summer to turn several mills, whereas in winter 
it is perfectly dry. 

Smith's Wonders. 



LESSON XXIII. 

INDIAN-RUBBER AND SPONGE. 

Described, pt, represented. L. descriptus, from scribo, I write 

Ooze, v., to flow or issue forth gently. Ooze is said to be a corrup- 
tion of eaux, F., waters. 

La'yer, n., that which is spread over a surface. I. letto, layer. The 
Ger. lagen, is equivalent to the L. ponere, to put, or lay. 

Flam'beaux (-bose), n., lighted torches. F. flambeaux, from ~L. flam- 
ma, a flame. 

Flex'ible, a., ductile, bendable. F. flexible, from flecto, L., I bend. 

Syr'inge, n., a tube through which any liquor is squirted. G. syrigx, 
a pipe or reed, from syrisso, I hiss. 

Sur'geon, n., a corruption of chirurgeon, one who performs manual 
operations in the art of healing. G. ckeirourgos, — cheir, the hand, 
and ergon, work. 

Chem'ist, n., a professor of chemistry. F. chymiste, probably from 
chyma, G., from cheyein, to pour, in reference to one who pours or 
mixes metals ; or from kamai, Ar., to conceal. 

Impreg'nated, pt., saturated. F. impregne, from prazgnans, L., (jpraz 
genans) full of, teeming with. 

Sheath'ed, pt, covered or protected : from A.S. sceadian, to sepa- 
rate or seclude ; consequently, to protect, <fec. 

1. Indian-rubber is the hardened juice of a tree 
which grows in South America. It is called the 
syringe-tree, and is described as attaining a very 
great height, being at the same time perfectly 
straight, and having no branches except on the top, 
which is but small, covering no more than a circum- 



56 THIRD BOOK OF 

ference of ten feet. Its leaves are green on the up- 
per part, and white beneath. The seeds are three in 
number, and contained in a pod, consisting of three 
cells, and in each of them there is a kernel, which, 
being stripped and boiled in water, produces a thick 
oil or fat, answering the purposes of butter in the 
cookery of that country. 

2. The Indians make incisions through the bark 
of this tree, chiefly in wet weather; a milky juice 
oozes out, which is spread over moulds of clay ; when 
the first layer is dry, a second is pat over it; this 
operation is repeated till the indian-rubber is of the 
thickness required. After this, it is placed over 
burning vegetables, the smoke of which hardens and 
darkens it. The natives apply it to various purpo- 
ses ; for water-proof boots, for bottles, and also for 
flambeaux, which give a very brilliant light, and 
burn for a great length of time. The principal uses 
to which indian-rubber is applied here, are the effac- 
ing of black lead marks, for water-proof shoes, for 
balls, flexible tubes, syringes, and other instruments 
used by surgeons and chemists. Cloth of all kinds 
may be made to resist water if impregnated with the 
fresh juice of the syringe-tree. The bottoms of ships 
are sometimes sheathed with indian-rubber, cut very 
thin ; it is said to preserve them from the injuries 
of shell-fish. 

3. Sponge is a marine production ; it was formerly 
supposed to be a vegetable, but the opinion now 
generally entertained is, that it is a habitation con- 
structed by a little worm, one of the species consid- 
ered to occupy the lowest rank in the animal king- 
dom. It is found adhering to various marine sub- 
stances at the bottom of the sea, especially in the 



READING LESSONS. 57 

Mediterranean, and is procured by divers, who are 
early trained to this employment. Sponge absorbs 
fluids rapidly, and yields them again when com- 
pressed. It was frequently saturated with wine and 
myrrh, and given to persons suffering the punish- 
ment of crucifixion, in order to deaden the sense of 
pain, and subdue the intolerable thirst which is the 
consequence of their agony. 

Mayo. 



LESSON XXIY. 

THE TRAVELLER AT THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 

1. In sunset's light, o'er Afric thrown, 

A wand'rer proudly stood 
Beside the well-spring, deep and lone, 

Of Egypt's awful flood : 
The cradle of that mighty birth, 
So long a hidden thing to earth ! 

2. He heard its life's first murmuring sound, 

A low mysterious tone ; 
A music sought, but never found, 

By kings and warriors gone ; 
He listen'd — and his heart beat high — 
That was the song of victory ! 

3. The rapture of a conqueror's mood 

Rush'd burning through his frame, — 
The depths of that green solitude 

Its torrents could not tame ; 
Though stillness lay, with eve's last smile. 
Hound those far fountains of the Nile. 



58 THIRD BOOK OF 

4. Night came with stars : — across his soul 

There swept a sudden change ; 
E'en at the pilgrim's glorious goal, 

A shadow dark and strange 
Breathed from the thought, so swift to fall 
O'er triumph's hour — And is this all ? 

5. No more than this ! — what seem'd it now 

First by that spring to stand ? 
A thousand streams of lovelier flow 

Bathed his own mountain-land ! 
Whence, far o'er waste and ocean track, 
Their wild, sweet voices call'd him back. 

6. They call'd him back to many a glade, 

His childhood's haunt of play, 
Where brightly through the beechen shade 

Their waters glanced away ; 
They call'd him, with their sounding waves, 
Back to his fathers' hills and graves. 

7. But, darkly mingling with the thought 

Of each familiar scene, 
Rose up a fearful vision, fraught 

With all that lay between ; 
The Arab's lance, the desert's gloom, 
The whirling sands, the red simoom ! 

8. Where was the glow of pow'r and pride ? 

The spirit born to roam ? 
His alter'd heart within him died 

With yearnings for his home ! 
All vainly struggling to repress 
That gush of painful tenderness. 



READING LESSONS. 59 

9. He wept — the stars of Afric's heaven 
Beheld his bursting tears, 
E'en on that spot where fate had given 

The meed of toiling years ! — 
O happiness ! how far we flee 
Thine own sweet paths in search of thee ! 

Mrs. Hemans. 



2. LESSON I. 



HOLLANDTLDE. 



Hol'landtide, n., All-hallown ; the time about All Saints' day. 
A.S. halgian, separated from common use ; and tid, a season. 

Arrest'ed, v., captivated, seized. F. arrete, from ad-restare, L., to 
stop or stay. A.S. rest-an, to rest. 

Fatigue (-teeg'), n., weariness. F. fatigue, from fatim, L., excessive- 
ly, and ago, I drive. 

Ab'stinf.nce, n., temperance in food : in general, forbearance of cer- 
tain kinds of meat or drink. F. abstinence, from abtenere, L., to 
hold or keep from. 

Engross'ed, pt., occupied or filled. F. engrosser, to get large — gros 
(from crassus, L., fleshy), big. 

Dissipation, n., scattered attention ; thoughtlessness. F. dissipation, 
from dissipo, L., I scatter. 

Superstition (-stish'-), n., an endeavouring to acquire a knowledge, 
a cure, or the like, by such means as can have no natural effect ; 
also, the observance of dreams, omens, &c. F. and S. superstition, 
excess or disorder in worship, from sisto or sto, L., I stand. 

Mum'meries, n., tricks, fooleries. F. mommeries, so called from the 
sport of momes (G.) or mockers. Momos was the god of carping, 
and even the make-game of his fellow-gods. 

Missionaries (mish'-), n., men sent to preach the Gospel. F. mis- 
sionnaires, from mitto, L., I send. 

An'ecdotes, n., unpublished narratives or incidents of private life. 
F. anecdotes, from anekdotos, G., — a, not, ek, from, and dotos, given, 
from didomi, I give. 

I. All was now ready. The " snap-apple" cross 
was hung up, the fire blazed cheerfully, and every 
countenance was bright with expectation of the corn* 



60 THIRD BOOK OF 

ing mirth, when a knock at the yard door diverted 
for a moment the attention of all from what was go- 
ing forward. The door was opened without delay, 
and a figure entered, on which all eyes were instantly 
riveted. His person was tall and majestic ; a long 
beard, half grey with years, descended upon his 
breast ; his head and feet were bare ; in his right 
hand he carried a staff, while a rosary, with beads 
of an extraordinary size, was made fast to a leathern 
girdle at his side. But there was something in the 
aspect and demeanour of the stranger, which, even 
more than the singularity of his dress, arrested the 
attention of the company, and produced for the mo- 
ment a pause of respectful silence. His countenance, 
though pale and worn by fatigue, or the effects of 
habitual abstinence, had on it a spiritual expression 
of mildness and peace, that awakened the interest 
and esteem of the beholder, and his easy, unpre- 
tending address seemed to indicate that he had known 
what the world calls " better days," although a senti- 
ment of religion prevented ail appearance of repin- 
ing. He appeared like one whose mind w T as so en- 
grossed by some one prevailing idea, that it required 
an effort to direct his attention, even for an instant, 
to any other subject. 

2. " It seems to me, sir," said one of the company, 
" that our amusements do not afford you much satis- 
faction." " They do not give me any, sir," replied 
the stranger. " And pray what great harm do you 
see in a little innocent amusement of this kind, where 
it interferes with no duty, and affords no room for 
vice or criminal dissipation ?" " Sir," replied the 
stranger, " you mistake my disposition, if you think 
I am an enemy to all innocent amusement. To say 
nothing of the detested superstitions, there is some- 



READING LESSONS. 61 

thing in the senseless, unmeaning mummeries cus- 
tomary at this season, which seems to me but ill 
adapted to do honour to the solemn fast and vigil 
which we this night celebrate. And apart from this 
mere ^silliness, or the evil which they occasion to 
ignorant minds, I confess I cannot understand how 
a Christian can esteem it a rational amusement to 
invoke the aid of an evil spirit even in jest. I know 
that similar practices have ever been regarded by 
the Church with horror. One fact, however, cannot 
be denied, that an evening could be spent quite as 
amusingly, and much more profitably, without them. 

3. " I spent this night twelve months," he contin- 
ued, " in the house of a respectable family in another 
county, and will tell you how they passed it. The 
master and mistress had their kitchen crowded with 
their poor neighbours. They had no snap-apple, nor 
nuts, nor beans ; but they had a good fire, and good 
books, and they read something that was at the same 
time amusing and instructive, either from the history 
of the Church, or the wonderful lives of missionaries 
in various parts of the globe ; or else they conversed 
freely on some point of Christian doctrine or morals, 
and sometimes gave interest to the subject by anec- 
dotes and stories ; and I assure you, many went home 
from that Hollandtide a great deal better instructed 
in their religion and its duties than when they came, 
and by no means discontented, either, on the score 
of amusement." 

G. Griffin. 
6 



62 THIRD BOOK OF 



LESSON II. 

I 

THE JOUKNEY TO BETHLEHEM. 

Orien'tal, a., eastern. F. oriental, from orein, G., to rise ; because 

in the east the sun rises. 
Anticipate, v., to foresee and prevent. L. anticipare, — ante, before, 

capere, to take. 
Artisan', n., a tradesman. F. artisan, from ars, L., skill. 
Re'gal, a., royal, kingly. L. regalis, from rego, I rule. 
Descent', n., birth, extraction. F. descente, from scando, L., I olimb. 
Escort'ed, v., attended by guards from place to place. F. escorte, 

guarded. The n. scorta (I.), is traced to dirigere, to direct. 
Manifestation, n., publication. F. manifestation. Manifestus (L.), 

is palpable, evident, — such as might, as it were, be felt by the 

hand. L. manus, the hand, and festus, the ob. pt. of fendere, to 

strike on or against. 
Consumma'tion, n., accomplishment. F. consommation, from summus, 

L., the utmost. 
Em'peror, n., a monarch superior in rank to a king. F. empereur, 

from impero, L., I command, I reign. 

1. A little group is seen to advance slowly, from 
the mean and obscure village of Nazareth, on its 
way to Bethlehem, the regal city. JNone of the 
pride and circumstance of oriental travelling distin- 
guishes its progress ; no swelling retinue of menials 
and dependants surrounds it, to anticipate the wants 
and minister to the gratifications of their masters ; 
no well-appointed train of camels follow, to convey 
the provisions and conveniencies, almost indispen- 
sable in such a journey. 

2. A poor artisan, with affectionate solicitude, 
alone guides the steps of the humble beast, whereon 
rides a tender female, apparently unfit, by her situa- 
tion, to undertake so long and fatiguing a pilgrim- 
age. Where they arrive for the night's repose, no 
greeting hails them, no curiosity gazes on them; 
when they depart to renew their toil, no good wishes 
are heard to cheer and encourage them on their way. 



READING LESSONS. 63 

Humble, meek, and unpretending, they are passed 
unsaluted at every step, by the crowds, who, boast- 
ing the same descent, scorn to acknowledge them as 
members of the regal stock, and hasten forward to 
secure every accommodation, till they leave this ten- 
der maid, and her coming offspring, no roof but a 
stable, and no cradle but a manger. 

3. And yet, not even the ark of the covenant, when 
it marched forth to victory over the enemies of God, 
escorted by the array of Levites, and greeted by the 
plaudits of the assembled nation ; not even it moved 
with half that interest to heaven, or half that prom- 
ise to earth, with which this humble virgin advances, 
bearing within her bosom in silence and neglect, the 
richest work which the Almighty had yet made, and 
the most miraculous benefit which his wisdom had 
yet devised. Upon this little group the angels at- 
tended, with care more tender than they have for the 
ordinary just, lest they should dash their foot against 
a stone : for on its safety depend the fulfilment of 
prophecy, the consummation of the law, the mani- 
festation of God's truth, and the redemption of the 
world. In it are centred all the counsels of Heaven, 
since the creation of man ; for it the whole land has 
been put into movement ; and the Roman emperor 
issued his mandate from the throne of the world, 
solely that this maid might be brought to Bethlehem 
of Juda, in order that from it might come forth, in 
fulfilment of prophecy, the Ruler who should govern 

the people of God. 

Dr. Wiseman. 



64 THIRD BOOK OF 



LESSON III. 

HYMN OF THE CITY. 

1. Not in the solitude 

Alone, may man commune with heaven, or see 

Only in savage wood 
And sunny vale, the present Deity ; 

Or only hear his voice 
Where the winds whisper, and the waves rejoice. 

2. Even here do I behold 

Thy steps, Almighty ! here amidst the crowd 

Through the great city rolPd, 
"Witn everlasting murmur deep and loud — 

Choking the ways that wind 
'Mongst the proud piles, the work of human kind. 

3. Thy golden sunshine comes 

From the round heavens, and on their dwelling lies, 

And lights their inner homes ; 
For them thou fill'st with air th ? unbounded skies, 

And givest them the stores 
Of ocean, and the harvest of its shores. 

4. Thy spirit is around, 

Quick'ning the restless mass that sweeps along : 

And this eternal sound — 
Yoices and footfalls of the numberless throng — 

Like the resounding sea, 
Or like the rainy tempest, speaks of thee. 

5. And when the hours of rest 
Come like a calm upon the mid-sea brine, 



READING LESSONS. 65 

Hushing its billowy breast ; 
The quiet of that moment too is thine : 

It breathes of Him who keeps 
The vast and helpless city while it sleeps. 

Bryant. 



LESSON IV. 



SNOW HOUSES. 

Com'fortable, a., agreeably convenient. F. confortatif, from fortis, 

L., strong, fair, &c. 
Diam'eter, n., the straight line which, passing through the centre of 

any figure, measures or divides it into two equal parts. L. diame- 
ter, from (G.) dia, through, and metron, a measure. 
Tena'cious, a., cohesive ; having particles disposed to stick or keep 

together. F. tenace, from tenere, L., to keep, to hold. 
Rectan'gular, a., right-angled, i. e., having angles of 90°. F. recto/n- 

gulaire, from angulus, L., a corner. 
Con'ical, a., like a cone, which is a solid figure having a circular base, 

and gradually decreasing to a point. F. conique, from conus, L., 

and konos, G., a cone, — the fruit of the fir-tree. 
Opera'tion, n., performance. F. operation, from opus, L., a work. 
Construction, n., form, structure. F. construction, from struo, L., 

I build. 
Translu'cency, n., imperfecf transparency, partially admitting rays 

of light, so that light, not objects, appears through. L. luceo, I 

shine, from the ob. G. luke, light. 
Transmitted, v., sent out. L. transmissus, from mitto, I send. 
Supe'rior, a., more beautiful or attractive. S. and L. superior, from 

super, above or over. 

1. The winter habitations of the Esquimaux, — an 
uncivilised people of Worth America, — are built of 
snow, and, judging from one that I saw constructed 
the other day, they are very comfortable dwellings.. 
The Esquimaux having selected a spot on the river 
where the snow was about two feet deep, and suffi- 
ciently compact, commenced by tracing out a circle, 
twelve feet in diameter. The snow in the interior 
of the circle was next divided with a broad knife, 

6* 



66 THIRD BOOK OF 

which had a long handle, into slabs three feet long, 
six inches thick, and two deep. These slabs were 
tenacious enough to admit of being moved about 
without breaking, or even losing the sharpness of 
their angles, and they had a slight degree of curva- 
ture, corresponding with that of the circle from which 
they were cut. They were piled upon each other 
exactly like courses of hewn stone, around the circle 
which had been traced out ; and care was taken to 
smooth the beds of the different courses with the 
knife, and to cut them, so as to give the wall a slight 
inclination inwards. The dome was closed some- 
what suddenly and flatly, by cutting the upper slabs 
in a wedge-form, instead of the more rectangular 
shape of those below. The roof was about eight feet 
high, and the last aperture was shut up by a small 
conical piece. The whole was built from within, 
and each slab was cut so, that it retained its position 
without requiring support, until another was placed 
beside it, the lightness of the slabs greatly facili- 
tating the operation. 

2. When the building was* covered in, a little 
loose snow was thrown over it, to close up every 
chink, and a low door was cut through the wall with 
the knife. A bed-place was next formed, and neatly 
faced up with slabs of snow, which were then covered 
with a thin layer of fine branches, to prevent them 
from being melted by the heat of the body. At each 
end of the bed, a pillar of snow was erected, to place 
a lamp upon ; and lastly, a porch was built before 
the door, and a piece of clear ice was placed in an 
aperture cut in the wall, for a window. 

3. The purity of the material of which the house 
was framed, the elegance of its construction, and the 



READING LESSONS. 67 

translucency of its walls, which transmitted a very 
pleasant light, gave it an appearance far superior to 
that of a marble building. 

Captain Franklin. 



LESSON Y. 

FOUNDATIONS OF KNOWLEDGE. 

Min'eral, n., matter dug out of mines. F. mineral, from minare, L., 

to lead ; to mine, means to lead a way under ground (in search of 

metals, (fee.) 
Perception, n., notion, idea. F. perception, from percip^re, L., — per, 

and caper e, to take. 
Physical, a., natural. L. physicus, from phusus, G., nature, from 

phuo, I produce. 
Grav'itt. n., tendency to the centre. F. gravite, from gravis, L., 

heavy. 
Iner'tia, n., inactivity, heaviness. L. inertia, — iners, not active, from 

ars, power, skill. 
Physiol'ogy, n., sl searching out of the nature of things. F. physio- 

logie, from (G.) phusis, nature, and logos, sl discourse. 
Arith'metic, n., the science of numbers. S. and L. arithmetica, from 

arithmos, G., number. 
Geom'etry, n., a measuring of the earth ; technically, restricted to 

that science applied to the measurement of extension. I. S. L. 

and G. geometria, from (G.) ge, the earth, and metrein, to measure. 
Ar'bitrary, a., capricious ; depending on no rule. L. arbitrarius ; — 

of unsettled etymology. 
Method'ical, a , systematical (way or course of). G. methodos, 

method, from meta, with, and hodos, a way. 

1. Every man may be said to begin his education, 
or acquisition of knowledge, on the day of his birth. 
Certain objects, repeatedly presented to the infant, 
are after a time recognised and distinguished. The 
number of objects thus known, gradually increases, 
and, from the constitution of the mind, they are soon 
associated in the recollection, according to their re- 
semblances, or obvious relations. Thus, sweetmeats, 
toys, articles of dress, &c, soon form distinct classes 
in the memory and conception. 



68 THIRD BOOK OF 

2. At a later age, but still very early, the child 
distinguishes readily between a mineral mass, a vege- 
table, and an animal, and thus his mind has already 
noted the three great classes of natural bodies, and 
has acquired a certain degree of acquaintance with 
natural history. He also soon understands the 
phrases, " a falling body," " the force of a moving 
body," and has, therefore, some perception of the 
great physical laws of gravity and inertia. 

3. Having seen sugar dissolved in water, and wax 
melted round the wick of a burning candle, he has 
learned some phenomena of chemistry. And having 
observed the conduct of the domestic animals, and of 
the persons about him, he has begun his acquaintance 
with physiology and the science of mind. Lastly, 
when he has learned to count his fingers and his 
sugar-plums, and to judge of the fairness of the divi- 
sion of cake between himself and his brothers, he has 
advanced into arithmetic and geometry. 

4. Thus, within a year or two, a child of common 
sense has made a degree of progress in all the great 
departments of human science, and, in addition, has 
learned to name objects, and to express feelings, by 
the arbitrary sounds of language. Such, then, are 
the beginnings or foundations of knowledge, on which 
future years of experience or methodical education 
must rear the superstructure of the more considerable 
attainments, which befit the various conditions of 
men in a civilised community. 

5. The most complete education, as regards the 
mind, can only consist of a knowledge of natural 
history, and of science, and a familiarity with lan- 
guage. As regards the body, it consists of the forma- 
tion of various habits of muscular action, performance 



READING LESSONS. 69 

on musical instruments, drawing and painting, and 
other exercises of utility or amusement. By review- 
ing a complete table of such matters, each man may 
see at once what he can know, and what it may suit 
his particular condition to study. 

Arnott 



LESSON VI. 



THE CASSIQUE. 

Mo'tive, n., that which incites to action. F. motif, from moveo, L., I 
move. 

Ae'rial, a., capable of flying through the air. L. aerius, from aer, 
G., the air. 

Succession (-sesh'-), n., an uninterrupted series or course. F. succes- 
sion, I. and L. suc-cedere, to go under ; cado, I yield. 

Grega'rious, a., going in flocks like partridge. L. gr eg arms, from 
grex, gregis, a flock. 

Im'itate, v., to mimic. L. imitor, from mimeomai, G,, I copy. 

Col'onists, n., the persons composing the colony, and who had left 
their mother country to cultivate that of their adoption. F. colo?iie, 
a colony, from colo, L., I till. 

Choristers (kwire'-), n., songsters of the grove. F. choristes, from 
chorus, L., and choros, G.,*a number of singers, from chairein, to 
rejoice. 

Pen'dulous, a., hanging. L. pendulus, from pendere, to hang or sus- 
pend. 

Sym'metry, n., an agreeable apportionment of parts or members ; a 
measured proportion. L. and G. symmetria, from metron, G., a 
measure. 

Ornithol'ogy, n., the natural history of birds. G. ornithologos ; — 
ornithos, of a bird, and legein, to discourse. 

1. One bird, however, in Demerara, is not actuated 
by selfish motives ; that is the cassique : in size, he 
is larger than the starling; he courts the society of 
man, but disdains to live by his labours. When na- 
ture calls for support, he repairs to the neighbouring 
forest, and there partakes of the store of fruits and 
seeds, which she has produced in abundance for her 



70 THIED BOOK OF 

aerial tribes. When this repast is over, he returns 
to man, and pays the little tribute which he owes 
him for his protection. He takes his station on a 
tree close to his house, and there, for hours together, 
pours forth a succession of imitative notes. His own 
song is sweet, but very short. If a toucan be yelping 
in the neighbourhood, the cassique drops his song 
and imitates him ; then he will amuse his protector 
with the cries of the different species of the wood- 
pecker ; and when the sheep bleat, he will distinctly 
answer them ; then comes his own song again ; and 
if a puppy dog or a Guinea-fowl interrupt him, he 
takes it off admirably, and by his different gestures 
during the time, you would conclude that he enjoys 
the sport. 

2. The cassique is gregarious, and imitates any 
sound he hears with such exactness, that he goes by 
no other name than that of mocking-bird among the 
colonists. At breeding time, a number of these 
pretty choristers resort to a tree near the planter's 
house, and from its outside branches weave their 
pendulous nests. So conscious do they seem that 
they never give offence, and so little suspicious are 
they of receiving any injury from man, that they 
will choose a tree within forty yards from his house, 
and occupy the branches so low down, that he may 
peep into their nests. A tree in "Warratilla Creek 
affords a proof of this. 

3. The proportions of the cassique are so fine, that 
he may be said to be a model of symmetry in orni- 
thology. On each wing he has a bright yellow spot ; 
his belly and half the tail are of the same colour; all 
the rest of the body is black ; his beak is the colour 
of sulphur, but it fades in death, and requires the 



READING LESSONS. 71 

same operation as the bill of th^ toucan to make it 
keep its colour. 

4. The ease, elegance, and rapidity of his move- 
ments, the animation of his eye, and the intelligence 
he displays in listening to and laying up lessons from 
almost every species of the feathered creation within 
his hearing, are really surprising, and mark the pecu- 
liarity of his genius. This bird is easily domesti- 
cated and taught artificial tunes. 

Waterton. 



LESSON YII. 



THE DESERTED VILLAGE. 



1. Sweet Auburn! loveliest village of the plain, 
Where health and plenty cheer'd the labouring swain ; 
Where smiling spring its earliest visit paid, 

And parting summer's ling'ring bloom delay'd ; 
Dear lovely bow'rs of innocence and ease, 
Seats of my youth, when every sport could please ; 
How often have I loiter'd o'er thy green, 
Where humble happiness endear'd each scene ! 

2. How often have I paused on ev'ry charm, 
The shelter'd cot, the cultivated farm, 

The never-failing brook, the busy mill, 
The decent church, that topp'd the neighb'ring hill, 
The hawthorn bush, with seats beneath the shade, 
For talking age and weary pilgrims made ! 

3. How often have I blest the coming day, 
When toil remitting, lent its turn to play ; 



72 THIED BOOK OF 

And all the villagg*train, from labour free, ■ 
Led up their sports beneath the spreading tree ; 
While many a pastime circled in the shade, 
The young contending as the old surveyed ; 
And many a gambol frolick'd o'er the ground, 
And sleights of art and feats of strength went round ! 

4. And still, as each repeated pleasure tired, 
Succeeding sports the mirthful band inspired ; 
The dancing pair, that simply sought renown, 
By holding out to tire each other down ; 
The swain mistrustless of his smutted face, 
While secret laughter titter'd round the place. 
These were thy charms, sweet village ! sports like 

these, 
With sweet succession taught e'en toil to please ; 
These round thy bow'rs their cheerful influence shed ; 
These were thy charms — but all these charms are fled. 

Goldsmith. 



THE DROWNING- FLY. 

1. In yonder glass behold a drowning fly ; 
Its little feet how vainly does it ply ! 
Its cries we hear not, yet it loudly cries, 
And gentle hearts can feel its agonies ? 
Poor helpless victim — and will no one save ? 
Will no one snatch thee from the threat'ning wave ? 
Is there no friendly hand — no helper nigh, 

And must thou, little struggler — must thou die ? 

2. Thou shalt not, whilst this hand can set thee free ; 
Thou shalt not die, this hand shall rescue thee! 
My finger's tip shall prove a friendly shore ; 
There, trembler, all thy dangers now are o'er; 



READING LESSONS. 73 

Wipe thy wet wings and banish all thy fear : 
Go, join thy num'rous kindred in the air ; 
Away it flies, resumes its harmless play, 
And lightly gambols in the golden ray. 

Smile not, spectators, at this humble deed; 
For you, perhaps, a nobler task's decreed : 
A young and sinking family to save ; 
To raise the infant from destruction's wave ! 
To you, for help, the victims lift their eyes : 
Oh 1 hear, for pity's sake, their plaintive cries ; 
Ere long, unless some guardian interpose, 
O'er their devoted heads the flood may close ! 

Anon. 



LESSON VIII. 



on respect for the aged, and on politeness. 

Gen'tlemax, n., one born or descended of a good family, and supposed 
to inherit the virtues or generous qualities of such family. Gentle 
is, therefore, applied to denote the possession of such qualities as 
affability, politeness, freedom from coarseness or vulgarity, &c. F. 
gentilhomme, — gent, from gens, L., which meant among the Romans 
race or surname ; and every male heir was styled a gentilis, or a 
gentleman, of such a race or family. 

Invi'ted, pt., beckoned to. L. invitatus, from invito, I bid to come. 

Embar'rassment, n., perplexity, confusion. F. embarras, — barre, an 
obstruction, from L. vara, a bar, by the change of the initial letter. 

Supersedes', v., dispenses with; sets aside. L. supersedere, to sit 
upon, to make void, from sedeo, I sit. 

Perpet'uated, pt, continued without intermission. F. perpetue. Ety- 
mology uncertain. 

Supercil'ious, a., haughty, overbearing. L. superciliosus. Super- 
cilium, the eyebrow {super and cilice, the eye-lids), haughtiness, 
disdain ; manifested by the contraction or drawing together of the 
eyebrows. 

Affecta'tion, n., an artificial show or display. F. affectation, from 
facio, L., I do or make. 

Rebuke', v., to reprehend, to reprimand. F. reboucher, to stop up 
(re, and bouche, — L. bucca, — the mouth), that is, to chide into silence. 

7 



74 THIRD BOOK OF 

Urban ity, w., agreeable or cheerful civility. F. urbanite. L. urbanus, 

of or belonging to a city -,—urbs, a city. 
Polite'ness, n. y gentility, elegance of manners, good breeding. F. 

politesse, from polio, L., I polish, I smooth, I adorn. 

1. Respect for the aged. — It happened at Athens, 
during a public representation of some play, exhib- 
ited in honour of the state, that an old gentleman 
came too late for a place suitable to his age ^and 
quality. A number of young men, who observed 
the difficulty and confusion the poor old gentleman 
was in, made signs to him, that they would accom- 
modate him, if he came where they sat. The good 
man bustled through the crowd accordingly ; but 
when he came to the seats to which he was invited, 
the jest among the young fellows was, to sit close, 
and expose the confusion and embarrassment of the 
old man to the gaze of the whole audience. The 
frolic went round all the benches reserved for the 
Athenians. But, on those occasions, there were also 
particular places set apart for strangers. When the 
good man, covered*with confusion, came towards the 
boxes appointed for the Lacedemonians, these honest, 
though less-instructed people, rose from their seats, 
and, with the greatest respect, received the old gen- 
tleman among them. The Athenians, being suddenly 
touched with a sense of the Lacedemonians' virtue 
and their own misconduct, gave a thunder of ap- 
plause ; and the old man cried out, " The Athenians 
understand what is good, but the Lacedemonians 

practise it." A 

, Addison. 

2. Politeness. — Care should be taken to cultivate, 
in all intercourse with friends, gentle and obliging 
manners. It is a common error to suppose, that fa- 
miliar intimacy supersedes attention to the lesser 



READING LESSONS. 75 

duties of behaviour ; and that, under the notion of 
freedom, it may excuse a careless, or even a rough 
demeanour. On the contrary, an intimate connexion 
can only be perpetuated by a constant endeavour to 
be pleasing and agreeable. The same behaviour 
which procures friendship, is absolutely necessary to 
the preservation of it. Let no harshness, no appear- 
ance of neglect, no supercilious affectation of superi- 
ority be encouraged in the intercourse of friends. A 
tart reply, a proneness to rebuke, a captious and con- 
tradictory spirit, are often known to embitter domes- 
tic life, and to set friends at variance ; it is only by 
continuing courtesy and urbanity of behaviour, that 
we long preserve the comforts of friendship. 

3. You must often have observed, that nothing is 
so strong a recommendation, on a slight acquaint- 
ance, as politeness ; nor does it lose its value by time 
or intimacy, when preserved as it ought to be, in the 
nearest connexions and strictest friendships. 

4. In general, propriety of behaviour must be the 
fruit of instruction, of observation, and reasoning ; 
and it is to be cultivated and improved like any 
other branch of knowledge or virtue. Particular 
modes and ceremonies of behaviour vary in differ- 
ent places. These can only be learned by observa- 
tion on the manners of those who are best skilled in 
them. But the principles of politeness are the same 
in all places. Wherever there are human beings, it 
must be impolite to hurt the temper or pain the feel- 
ings of those with whom you converse. By raising 
people up, instead of mortifying and depressing 
them, we make ourselves so many friends in place 

of enemies. 

Mrs. Chapone. 



76 THIED BOOK OF 



LESSON IX. 



LIFE OF OUR LORD. 

Incarna'tion, n., the act of assuming or putting on a fleshly, human, 
mortal body. F. incarnation, from caro, carnis, L., flesh. 

Nativ'ity, n., birth, issue into life. L. nativitas, from natum, p. pt. 
of nasci, to be born. 

Espous'ed, pt., married. F. Spouse, from spondere, L., to promise, to 
betroth. 

Purification, n., a ceremony performed by the Hebrew women after 
the birth of their child. F. purification, from purus, L., pure, from 
pur, G., fire. 

Resurrec'tion, n., revival from the dead ; in a spiritual sense, as 
here applied, a rising from the death of sin to the life of sanctify- 
ing grace. F. resurrection, from re-surgo, L., — re, and surgo, I 
rise. 

Retire'ment, n., privacy, retiredness. F. retirement, from traho, L., 
I draw. 

Revela'tion, n., discovery or communication of sacred and mysteri- 
ous truths. F. revelation. L. re-velare, to discover, to uncover, 
from velum, a veil, a covering. 

Testimony, n., public evidence. L. testimonium, from testis, a wit- 
ness. 

Won'derful, a., admirable, strange, astonishing. A.S. wundor, to 
wonder, probably from wenden, to turn, — in allusion to the effort 
of the mind to understand what has struck it with surprise or 
wonder. 

Te'trarch, n., the governor of one of four parts of a district or prov- 
ince. G. tetr arches, from arche, government, tetras, four. 

1. The incarnation of our Divine Redeemer in the 
womb of his Virgin Mother, was effected by the 
power of the Holy Ghost. In what year of the 
world the Saviour was born cannot now be exactly 
determined ; but the most probable opinion is, that 
his nativity should be placed four years beyond our 
present computation. This, however, is certain, that 
in the reign of the emperor Augustus, and of Herod 
the Great, king of Judea, " the Word was made flesh, 
and dwelt amongst us. 55 

2. Mary, the virgin who gave birth to Jesus, and 



READING LESSONS. 77 

Joseph, to whom she had been espoused, were both 
of the royal house of David. Scarcely had our Lord 
been born, when he showed that he came not to reign 
amidst earthly wealth and magnificence, although it 
was He, to whom every knee should bend. For when 
God " bringeth his first-begotten into the world, he 
saith, And let all the angels of God adore .him." — 
(JBcb. i. 6.) 

3. This happy event was first announced to shep- 
herds, who were keeping their night-watches at Beth- 
lehem ; and to them — the poor — the Gospel was first 
preached. From the poor also were they chosen, 
who were sent forth to bear to the nations the tidings 
of salvation ; that all, who had eyes to see, might see, 
that God chooses the weak ones of this world for his 
mighty works, and that not from human prudence 
or human labour, but from him, come all wisdom, 
all power, and all grace. 

4. According to the Mosaic law, the divine Infant 
was circumcised on the eighth day after his birth, 
and was named Jesus. And when the days of puri- 
fication were ended, and his mother appeared in the 
temple with, her Son, a venerable and devout man, 
named Simeon, prophesied, that he should be placed 
for the resurrection of many, and as a sign to be 
contradicted. Then came kings from distant lands 
in the east, and inquired in Jerusalem for the new- 
born King of the Jews. Hereupon, Herod trembled, 
and all Jerusalem with him, and, to free himself 
from his fears, he resolved upon the murder of the 
innocents. All the male children of two years of 
age and under, in Bethlehem, and around it, w T ere 
slain. But Jesus was taken, by the command of 

God, into Egypt, where he remained until the death 

7 * 



78 THIRD BOOK OF 

of the tyrant. After this event, he and his mother 
were conducted again by Joseph into the land of Is- 
rael, where they resided in domestic retirement, and 
where "the child grew in wisdom, in age, and in 
grace, before God and men." 

5. That this wisdom was not acquired or learned 
in the schools of the Jewish masters, but drawn from 
the highest and purest of heaven's founts, Jesus gave 
proof, when, in the twelfth year of his age, he stood 
in the temple of Jerusalem, and filled the minds of 
all around him with wonder, at his knowledge and 
at his answers. 

6. In the thirtieth year of his age, Jesus appeared 
amongst the Jews, as the teacher and author of the 
Christian religion. In the mean time, John, the son 
of the priest Zachary, whose birth and life had been 
most wonderful, came forth from his wilderness. This 
man, who, according to the declaration of the Most 
Wise, was the greatest of those who had been born 
of women, stood as the medium-point between the I 
new and the old Testaments, and as a necessary link 
in the chain of divine revelation. Rejecting the 
proffered honour of being reputed Elias, or even the 
Messias, he proclaimed aloud, with a voice from the 
wilderness, that the kingdom of the Messias was at 
hand, — that Jesus of Nazareth was the promised 
Redeemer, — that his kingdom was not national, nor 
of this earth. Our Lord, before the commencement 
of his teaching, was baptized by John, in the Jordan. 
His eternal Father then spoke ; and whilst John, as 
man, bore testimony to his divine Mission, Almighty 
God confirmed it by miracles from heaven. At this 
period, Tiberius was emperor of Rome ; Pontius Pi- 
late, governor of Judea ; Herod Antipas, tetrarch of 






READING LESSONS. ^V 79 



Galilee, and Perea ; and Philip, his brother, te^arch 
of Idumea, Trachonitis, and Abilene. 

Dollinger. 



LESSON X. 

LIFE OF OUR LORD (CONTINUED). 

►enev'olence, n., a will or wish for the happiness or good of others. 
L. benevolentia ; — bene, well or good, volo, I will, I wish. 

Humii/ity, n., a virtue, which makes us think and act agreeably to 
our own nothingness, and with a view of pleasing God. F. humi- 
lite. L. humilis, humble, low, from humus, the ground, the earth. 

Timid'ity, n., timorousness. F. timidite, from tirneo, L., I fear. 

Interpreter, n., an expounder. L. interpres, said to be an abbre- 
viation of interpartes, — because originally an agent between par- 
ties; afterwards an expositor. 

Tribu'nal, n., the seat of a judge in the court of justice. F. and L. 
tribunal, from tribus, L., a tribe or ward. Anciently the people 
of Rome were divided into three sections, with a magistrate over 
each. This magistrate was thence called & tribune, and the place 
or seat where he gave judgment, a tribunal. 

Adju'red, pt, put upon oath of a prescribed form. F. adjure, from 
juris, L., right, law, justice. 

Blas'phemy, ti., speaking evil of God or his Saints : — in this place, an 
indignity to God by claiming a participation in the Divine nature. 
F. blaspheme, from phemi, G., I speak or say. 

Chas'tisement, n., punishment. F. chdtiment, from castigo, L., I pun- 
ish, — and this from kastos, G., a stick or cudgel. 

Redemption, n., ransom, restoration. F. redemption, from redimo, 
L., I redeem : re, and emo (according to some, from G. emos 1 , mine), 
I purchase. 

Ascen'sion, n., the visible self-elevation, or ascent of our Blessed Sa- 
viour into heaven from the summit of Mount Olivet. F. ascension, 
from scando, L., I mount. 

1. We must suppose the history of our blessed 
Redeemer to be sufficiently known by all. Avoiding 
all earthly splendour and worldly comforts, followed 
by a few chosen friends, unknown and persecuted by 
the rich and the noble as by the lowest of the people, 
he spent three years in acts of heavenly benevolence, 
and in imparting eternal truths to men. He taught 
the reconciliation of man with God, through faith, 



80 THIED BOOK OF 

and love, founded upon humility ; for those who love 
honours cannot believe in him. 

2. He has himself left us a brief history of his life 
in these words {Mat xi. 5) : " The blind see, the lame 
walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead 
rise again, the poor have the Gospel preached to 
them, and blessed is he who shall not be scandalised 
in me." And when the bitterness of his enemies 
had reached its highest point, he went with gladness 
to meet the sufferings that brought redemption and 
salvation to man. 

3. It is a just observation, but one which redounds 
not to our honour, that men oftentimes love that 
which is evil and wicked, and that which is honour- 
able and virtuous they will hardly believe of each 
other. Thus, the enemies of the Most Holy found 
believers and followers, and He w T as despised, blas- 
phemed, and murdered. A mind and a life opposed 
to the thoughts and ways of the earth, must neces- 
sarilv have come in violent conflict with the world. 
" He was in the world, and the world knew him not; 
he came unto his own, and his own did not receive 
him.'^ There were a few who followed him, but it 
was in timidity and fear ; the powerful, on the con- 
trary, and the many, incited by the interpreters of 
the law, by the priests and the pharisees, rose up 
against him and sought his death. 

4. He knew and foretold his sufferings. One of 
the chosen twelve was seduced to betray his Master, 
who, bound as a criminal, was led away to the tri- 
bunal of the high priest. When solemnly adjured 
to confess if he were the Son of God, he answered, 
* I am." Then did the assembled priests, and scribes, 
and members of the council, condemn him, as guilty 



READING LESSONS. 81 

of blasphemy and worthy of death. From the Jew- 
ish court, which had lost, under the Romans, the 
power of death, he was borne away to the governor, 
Pilate, who, after unfeeling scorn, and severe chas- 
tisement, condemned the acknowledged innocent and 
just man to death. He died, in the thirty-third year 
of his life upon earth, derided by the "Romans and 
Jews, the most disgraceful death of the cross, and 
between two thieves. His bones were not broken — 
the ordinary usage after such a death ; but, to prove 
that he was dead, a soldier opened his side w T ith a 
spear. The body was buried in honour by a dis- 
ciple : a guard was placed around the tomb, and a 
seal upon the stone. 

5. On the third day he appeared again in life to 
his apostles. The truth of his religion could not be 
weakened by his violent and cruel death, but rather 
confirmed ; and the end of his incarnation — the re- 
demption of man and his reconciliation with God — 
promoted. 

6. He remained forty days with his disciples, in- 
structing them in the nature of his kingdom, their 
sacred duties and future labours. There is nothing, 
however, expressed in the Gospel, more than the 
general command to teach, to baptize, and to observe 
all things whatsoever he had commanded them. Of 
those who believed in him, Jesus had chosen twelve, 
whom he admitted as the favoured witnesses of his 
own words and works. These, with the exception of 
the betrayer, he left as his representatives on earth. 
There were also seventy-two disciples closely con- 
nected with him; they, also, after his ascension^ 
preached the Gospel, but with less ample powers? 
than the apostles. ; 



82 THIED BOOK OF 

7. All these, or many of them (" they who were 

come together," — Acts, i. 6), assembled with Jesus, 

near Bethania, at the end of the forty days ; and 

whilst they were looking upon him, he raised his 

hands and blessed them, and was borne away into 

heaven. 

Dollinger. 



LESSON XI. 

THE NATURAL PHILOSOPHY OF CHILDREN. 

Capac/ity, *fc, the power of containing. F. capacite, from capio, L., I 
hold, I take. 

Admi'ring, pt., wondering at, or regarding with admiration. Admi- 
rans, L., from minis, strange, Wonderful. 

Beau'ties, n., those qualities which are agreeable to the senses, as- 
colour, form, and motion, and their various combinations, F. beaute T 
comeliness, from hellus, L*, beautifuL 

Phys'ics, n., natural philosophy. L, physicce f from phusis, G., which 
is from phuo, I produce. 

Philos'ophy, n. y love of wisdom ; as here applied, general principles* 
of knowledge and science, physical and moral. L. and G. philoso- 
phic!,; — philoSy loving, and sophia, wisdom. 

Curios'ity, n. t inquisitiveness, inclination to inquiry. F. curiosite? 
fi om cur a, L^ concern, care. 

Recrea'tion, n. r amusement ; whatever contributes to reanimate or 
refresh. F. recreation, from recreare, L., to re-create, or give life 
again - f — creo, I create. 

Ferment'ed, pt., heated internally, and thereby made to swell. F, 
fermente. L. fermentum, a ferment, supposed to be a contraction 
of fervimentum, from fervere, to warm, or to be, or cause to be- 
warm. 

Ver'dant, a., green. L. viridis> from virere, to be green, to flourish 
or grow. 

For'tified, pt, defended, F. fortifie? from fortis, L., strong, hardy. 

So I call the study of nature, which scarcely re- 
quires anything besides the eyes, and for this reason 
falls within the capacity of all persons, even of chil- 
dren. It consists in attending to the objects with 
which nature presents us, in considering them with 
care, and admiring their different beauties, but with- 



BEADING LES^OKS. 83 

out searching out their causes, which properly be- 
longs to the physics of the learned. I say, that even 
children are capable of it, for they have eyes, and 
do not want curiosity ; they ask questions and love 
to be informed ; and here we need only awaken and 
keep up in them the desire of learning and knowing, 
which is natural to all mankind. Besides, this study, 
if it is to be called a study, instead of being painful 
and tedious, is pleasant and agreeable ; it may be as 
a recreation, and should usually be made a diver- 
sion. It is inconceivable, how many things children 
are capable of, if all the opportunities of instructing 
them were laid hold of, with which they themselves 
present us. A garden, the country, a palace, are all 
so many books, which may be open to them ; but 
they must have been taught and accustomed to read 
in them. Nothing is more common amongst us than 
the use of bread and linen. How seldom do chil- 
dren know how either of them is prepared ; through 
how many hands the corn and flax must pass before 
they are changed into bread and linen ! The same 
may be said of cloth, which bears no resemblance to 
the wool whereof it is formed, any more than paper, 
to the rags which are picked up in the streets ; and 
why should not children be instructed in these won- 
derful works of nature and art, which they every 
day make use of without reflecting upon them ? It 
is very agreeable to read in Tully's treatise of Old 
Age, the elegant description which he gives of the 
growth of corn. It is admirable how the seed, fer- 
mented and softened by the warmth and moisture of 
the earth, which kindly retains it in her bosom, sends 
forth at first a verdant point, which, fed and nour- 
ished from the root, raises itself by degrees, and 
erects a hollow stalk, strengthened with knots ; how 



84 THIRD BOOK OF 

the ear, enclosed in a kind of case, insensibly grows 
in it, and at last shoots forth in admirable form, for- 
tified with bearded spikes, which serve it as a guard 
against the injuries of the small birds. But, to view 
this wonder itself with our own eyes, to follow it at- 
tentively through all its different changes, and pur- 
sue it till it comes to perfection, is quite another 
spectacle. A careful master will find in this exer- 
cise the means of enriching the mind of his disciple 
with a great number of useful and agreeable ideas, 
and by a proper mixture of short reflections, will, at 
the same time, take care to form his heart, and lead 
him by the path of nature to religion. 

Kollin. 



LESSON XII. 



HYMN TO THE B. V. MARY. 



1. Ave Maria ! blessed Maid ! 
Lily of Eden's fragrant shade. 

Who can express the love 
That nurtured thee so pure and sweet, 
Making thy heart a shelter meet 

For Jesus, holy Dove ? 

2. Ave Maria ! Mother bless'd ! 
To whom caressing and caress'd 

Clings the eternal Child ; 
Favour'd beyond archangel's dream 
When first on thee with tenderest gleam 

Thy new-born Saviour smiled. 

3. Ave Maria ! Thou whose name 
All but adoring love may claim, 



READING LESSONS. 85 

Yet may we reach thy shrine : 
For he, thy Son and Saviour, vows 
To crown all lowly, lofty brows 

With love and joy like thine. 

Bless'd is the womb that bore Him ! bless'd 
The bosom where his lips were press'd, 

And blessed too are they 
Who hear his word and keep it well, 
The living homes where Christ shall dwell, 

And never pass away. 

Keble. 



VW^Al 



PROVIDENCE. 

As a fond mother her young group beholds, 

And with a burning heart above them bends ; 
One kisses on the brow— one to her bosom folds, 

Whilst one enclasps her knee, one from her foot 
depends ; 

And to their looks, sighs, attitudes, attends, 
Whatever wants or wishes they unfold, 

To this a glance, to that a gift extends ; 
And smiles or frowns, but never waxes cold. 

Thus watcheth Providence with sleepless eyes, 
And comforts one, and one with hope implants, 

And lists to all, and aid to all supplies ; 
Or should she seem insensate to our wants, 

Because unask'd, the boon alone denies, 
Or feigns denial — and denying grants. 

From Filicaja. 
8- 



86 THIRD BOOK OF 



LESSON XIII. 

THE ZEALOUS CHILD. 

Vil'lages, n., small collections of rustic houses in the country. F. 

villages, from villa, L., a house in the country, or a farm-house, 

with its appendages. 
Sur'name, n., the name added to the Christian name. F. sumom, 

from (L.) super, and nomen, name. 
Combined, v., united in design. F. combine, from (L.) con, and binus, 

two. 
Countenance, n., the face, system of the features. F. contenance, 

the visage, the continence, keeping, or composure of the face, from 

teneo, L., I hold. 
Ingenu'ity, n., ingenuousness, that is, openness, candour ; now gene- 
rally used as equivalent to ingeniousness, i. e., subtiity, cleverness. 

F. ingenuite, from L. genius, from gigno, I beget. 
Suav'ity, n., sweetness. F. suavite, from suavis, L., sweet. 
Apos'tle, n., one sent ; applied by way of eminence to those whom 

our Lord commissioned or sent to preach the Gospel to all nations : 

it is often applied to persons who do " the work of an apostle," — 

by labouring with extraordinary zeal for the conversion or sancti- 

fication of souls. L. apostolus; G. apostolos, from apo, and stcllo, 

I send. 
Mod'esty, n., reserve, decorum ; a graceful bashfulness, the effect of 

an humble estimate of oneself, not of vulgarity or timidity. F. 

modestie, from modus, L., measure ; modesty being the measure of 

what is decent or becoming. 
Docil'ity, n., tractableness, readiness to learn. F. docilite, from 

doceo, L., I teach. 
Angel (ane'-jel), n., applied particularly to the heavenly spirits ; and 

figuratively to such as are extremely beautiful, innocent, or modest. 

L. angelus ; G. aggelos (pro. angelos, g hard), a messenger. 

1. The district in which we now are, contains a 
great many villages, at the foot of a mountain, which 
the Arabs call Jabel GJiek, that is, the mountain of 
the old man, a name which they gave it, because, for 
the most part of the year, it is covered with snow. 
On our arrival, we went to the house of a convert, 
an acquaintance, from whom we expected a warm re- 
ception. We were not disappointed ; he received us 
with joy and affection. 

2. As soon as he heard that the missionaries were 



READING LESSONS. 87 

waiting, he ran with haste to the door to receive us. 
He immediately took each of us by the right hand, 
which after he had kissed, he placed upon his head 
as a mark of respect. He then addressed the priest 
by whom I was accompanied, in terms such as these : 
" My father, thou art welcome ; at the very time that 
thou wert coming, I had thee in my heart ; the bless- 
ing of Heaven has descended, and together with thy 
friend, enters my dwelling in thy company ; I look 
upon this moment as the happiest of my life : come 
in, my father, come into my dwelling, where thou 
mayest command and must be obeyed." 

3. After the first interchange of civility, we were 
conducted to a large apartment, in which a great 
many persons were assembled. They kissed our 
hands in the same manner as the master of the house 
had done before. 

4. We took notice, among these Christians, of a 
very young child, not apparently more than five 
years old, who, having come up to us, went on his 
knees to beg our blessing. His baptismal name was 
John, and he was surnamed by his parents "The 
Hiches of God." It is the custom of this country for 
the head of the family to give each child a surname 
soon after its birth. " The Riches of God" was one 
of those fine characters, in which nature and grace 
seem to have combined, to impart, by his means, 
happiness and comfort to a Christian family. To a 
fine countenance and a charming ingenuity, he added 
a natural suavity of disposition, and an ardent de- 
sire of information. He asked us many questions on 
religious subjects ; and, with a pleasing importunity, 
which is always delightful to a missionary of God, 
he entreated us to instruct him. Being aware that I 



88 THIRD BOOK OF 

was to be catechist in this new mission, I was con- 
vinced immediately how serviceable he would likely 
be to me. 

5. Whilst my companion went to visit the sick 
and afflicted, I assembled the children, and taught 
them the catechism. "The Kiches of God" soon 
became a young apostle. He went to all the places 
where the children usually played, and collected 
them together. God gave efficacy to the words of 
the young missionary; his play-fellows followed him. 
At the head of his little troop he came into the 
chapel, with his eyes cast down and hands joined. 
" Father," said he, " teach us to know and love the 
great God of whom you preach." His conduct in- 
spired all the rest with a degree of modesty and do- 
cility. I could scarcely believe myself in the midst 
of unsteady children. They were rather like so 
many little angels, the sight of whom awakened the 
most tender affections, and excited me even to tears. 
But we were soon to separate from them ; more 
pressing demands obliged our superiors to with- 
draw us. 

6. I cannot tell the reluctance with which we 
parted from so precious a little flock, or their regret 
when we were about to leave them. They bedewed 
us with their tears. The delights which we felt 
amongst them, are some of those choice consolations 
which God bestows even in this life on those who 
labour in his service, more, however, to animate 
their zeal, than to reward their exertions. 

Lettres Edifiaotes. 



READING LESSONS. 89 

LESSON XIV. 

PROGRESS OF CIVILISATION. 

Inhabitant, n., one who resides or dwells in a place. F. habitant, 

from habitare, L., to dwell, to have, to hold. 
Am'ity, n., friendship. F. amitie, from amo, L., I love. 
Ter'ritory, n., the compass of land or country belonging to a tribe ; 

a district. L. territorium, from terra, the earth. 
Rude, a., coarse, uncivilised. F. and I. rude, from rudis, L., or A.S. 

rcethe, fierce ; or more probably from hreow, crude, raw. 
Exultation, n., rapturous delight. F. exultation, from salio, L., I 

leap, or bound. 
Cen'tury, n., a hundred years. L. centuria, from centum, a hundred 

— a hundred of anything. 
Pat'rimony, n., a paternal inheritance. F. patrimoine ; — L. pater, 

father, and mony or monium, a termination — probably the same 

as ment in testament (anything meant or intended to testify) : a 

p&trimony may, therefore, be meant to nourish, to maintain, <fcc. 
Ed'itor, n., a publisher ; he that prepares or revises any work for 

publication. F. editeur, from e-dere, L., to give out, to publish. 
Histo'rian, n., a writer of facts or events. F. historien, from (G.) 

histor, one who knows. 
Equa'tor, n., a great circle on the globe, so called, because equally 

distant from the poles, and dividing the sphere into two equal 

parts. L. equator, from cequus, even, equal ; — G. eikos, similar, 

like. 

1. The condition of the present inhabitants of this 
country is very different from that of their forefathers. 
These, generally divided into small states or societies, 
had few relations of amity with surrounding tribes, 
and their thoughts and interests were confined very 
much within their own little territories and rude 
habits. Now, however, every one sees himself a 
member of one vast, civilised society, which covers 
the face of the earth, and no part of the earth is in- 
different to him. 

2. In England, a man of small fortune may cast 
his regards around him, and say with truth and ex- 
ultation, " I am lodged in a house that affords me 
comforts which even a king could not command. 

8* 



90 THIED BOOK OF 

some centuries ago. There are ships crossing the 
seas in every direction, to bring what is useful to 
me, from all parts of the earth. 

3. " In China, men are gathering the tea-leaf for 
me ; in America, they are planting cotton for me ; 
in the West-India islands they are feeding silk-worms 
for me ; in Saxony they are shearing the sheep to 
make me clothing. At home, powerful steam-en- 
gines are spinning and weaving for me, and making 
cutlery for me, and pumping the mines, that miner- 
als, useful to me, may be procured. 

4. " My patrimony is small, yet I have post- 
coaches running day and night on all roads to carry 
my correspondence ; I have roads, and canals, and 
bridges, to bear the coal for my winter fire ; nay, I 
have protecting fleets and armies around my happy 
country, to secure my enjoyments and repose. 

5. " Then, I have editors and printers, who daily 
send me an account of what is going on throughout 
the world, among all these people who serve me ; 
and in a corner of my house, I have books, the mira- 
cle of all my possessions, more wonderful than the 
wishing-cap of the Arabian Tales, for they transport 
me instantly, not only to all places, but to all times. 
By my books, I can conjure up before me, to vivid 
existence, all the great and good men of antiquity ; 
and for my individual satisfaction, I can make them 
act over again the most renowned of their exploits : 
the orators declaim for me ; the historians recite ; the 
poets sing : in a word, from the equator to the pole, 
and from the beginning of time until now, by my 
books, I can be where I please." 

6. This picture is not overcharged, and might be 
much extended ; such being the miracle of God's 



READING LESSONS. 91 

goodness and providence, that each individual of the 
civilised millions that cover the earth, may have 
nearly the same enjoyments, as if he were the single 
lord of all. 

Arnott. 



LESSON XV. 

TIME AND ETERNITY. 

1. For, stretch to life's extremest span 

The brilliant course of earthly pleasure, 
How looks the space assigned to man, 
Lost in the vast eternal measure ! 



2. Rank, fortune, love, earth's highest bliss, 

All life can yield, of sweet or splendid, 
Are but a thing that scarcely is, 
When lo ! its mortal date is ended ! 

3. So swift is time, so briefly lost 

The fleeting joys of life's creation, 
"What seems the present, is the past, 
Before the mind can mark its station. 

4. On earth we hold the spirit blest, 

That learns to bear affliction cheerly, 
And what we call, and fancy rest, 
Is brief annihilation merely. 

5. 'Tis vain to say in youthful ears, 

Time flees, earth fades, with all its pleasures ; 
The ardent heart attentive hears, 

But nought of transient counsel treasures. 



92 THIED BOOK OF 

6. 'Tis heavenly grace alone, my child, 

The fruit of prayer attending duly, 
Can firmly stem the tumult wild, 
Of earthly passion rising newly. 

7. Then shall we for so brief a world, 

A speck in nature's vast dominion, 
"With hope's high banner basely furl'd, 
Return to earth with slothful pinion ? 

8. Forbid it truth, forbid it love, 

The faithless thought untold should perish, 
Forbid it all we hope above, 
And all on earth we know and cherish. 

G. Griffin. 



LESSON XVI, 



OF THE FIXED STARS. 



Tutor — Charles — James. 

Charles. — The delay occasioned by our long walk, 
has afforded us one of the most brilliant views of the 
heavens that I ever saw. 

James. — It is uncommonly clear ; and the longer | 
I keep my eyes fixed upwards, the more stars seem 
to appear ; how is it possible to number those stars ? 
and yet I have heard that they are numbered, and 
even arranged in catalogues according to their appa- 
rent magnitude. Pray, sir, explain to us how this 
business was performed. 

Tutor. — This I will do with great pleasure, some 



READING LESSONS. 93 

time hence ; but at present I must tell you, that in 
viewing the heavens with the naked eye, we are very 
much deceived as to the supposed number of stars 
that are any time visible. It is generally admitted, 
and on good authority too, that there are never more 
than one thousand stars visible to the sight, unas- 
sisted by glasses, at any one time, and in one 
place. 

James. — What ! can I see no more than a thou- 
sand stars if I look all around the heavens ? I should 
suppose there were millions. 

Tutor. — This number is certainly the limit of what 
you can at present behold ; and that which leads 
you, and persons in general, to conjecture that the 
number is so much larger, is owing to an optical de- 
ception. 

James. — Are we frequently liable to be deceived 

by our senses ? 

Tutor. — ¥e are, if we depend on them singly } 
but where w r e have an opportunity of calling in the 
experience of one sense to the aid of another, we are 
seldom subject to this inconvenience. 

Charles. — Do you not know, that if you place a 
small marble in the palm of the left hand, and then 
cross the second finger of the right hand over the 
first, and in that position, with your eyes shut, move 
the marble with those parts of the two fingers at 
once, which are not accustomed to come into contact 
with any object at the same time, — that the one mar- 
ble will appear to the touch as two ? In this in- 
stance, without the assistance of our eyes, we should 
be deceived by the sense of feeling. 

Tutor. — This is to the point, and shows that the 



94 THIED BOOK OF 

judgment formed by means of a single sense is not 
always to be depended upon. 

James. — But that has nothing to do with the false 
judgment which we are said to form about the num- 
ber of stars. 

Tutor. — You are right ; it does not immediately 
concern the subject before us, but it may be useful 
as affording a lesson of modesty, by instructing us 
that we ought not to clos£ our minds against new 
evidence that may be offered on any topic, notwith- 
standing the opinions we may have already formed. 
You say, you see millions of stars ; whereas, the 
ablest astronomers assert, that with the naked eye 
you cannot at one time see so many as a thousand. 

Charles. — I should, indeed, have thought with my 
brother, had you not asserted the contrary ; and I 
am anxious to know how the deception happens, for 
I am sure there must be a great deception some- 
where, if I do not at this time behold very many 
thousands of stars in the heavens. 

Tutor. — You know that we see objects only by 
rays of light which proceed from them in every di- 
rection. And you must, for the present, give me 
credit when I tell you, that the distance of the fixed 
stars from us is immensely great, consequently the 
rays of light have to travel this distance, in the 
course of which, especially in their passage through 
our atmosphere, they are subject to numberless re- 
flections* and refractions. By means of these, other 
rays of light come to the eye, every one of which, 
perhaps, impresses upon the mind the idea of so 

* To reflect, is to revert or bend back ; and to refract, is to break 
back, or to break the continuity of a line ; as a ray, (fee. 



READING LESSONS. 95 

many separate stars. Hence arises that optical fal- 
lacy, by which we are led to believe, that the stars 
which we behold are innumerable. 



LESSON XVII. 

THE VAMPIRE. 

Tal'on, n., the claws or bony substance affixed to the feet of animals. 
F. and S. talon, from talus, L., the postern or heel bone. 

Mem'brane, n., the upmost thin skin of anything; a web of several 
sorts of fibres, interwoven together for the covering and wrapping 
up of some parts. F. membrane, from membrana, L., so called be- 
cause it covers the members. 

Perpendic'ularly, ad., in the direction of a straight line up and 
down ; so as to cut another line at right angles. F. perpendicu- 
lairement, from pe?ideo, L., T hang. 

Questioned, pt., interrogated. F. questionne, from qucero, L., I ask, 
I seek. 

San'guinary, a., bloody. F. sanglant, from sanguis, L., blood. 

Debii/ity, n., weakness, feebleness. F. debilite, from debilis, L. (de 
and habilis), weak. 

Quad'ruped, n., a four-footed animaj. L. quadrupes, — quatuor, four, 
and pedes, feet. 

Fab'ulous, a., feigned. Y.fabuleux, from fari, L., to speak. 

Sol'itary, a., single. F. solitaire, from solus, L., alone, or all one. 

Aban'doned, a., forsaken. F. abandonne ; abandonner, to give up or 
over, to desert. The root is either from the A.S. abannan, to de- 
nounce, or bindan, to bind, or put under bond. 

1. The vampire is chiefly found in South America ; 
it is about the size of a squirrel, and its wings, when 
extended, measure four or five feet. It has a sharp 
black nose, large and upright ears, the tongue point- 
ed, the talons very crooked and strong, and no tail. 
At the end of the nose, it has a long, conic, erect 
membrane, bending at the top, and flexible. They 
vary in colour, some being entirely of a reddish brown, 
others dusky. They live on flesh, fish, and fruit, 
and are peculiarly fond of blood. The vampire of 
India, and that of South America, I consider distinct 



96 . THIRD BOOK OF 

species. I have never yet seen a bat from India with 
a membrane rising perpendicularly from the end of 
its nose ; nor have I ever been able to learn that bats 
in India suck animals, though I have questioned 
many people on this subject. I could only find two 
species of bats in Guiana with a membrane rising 
from the nose. Both these kinds suck animals and 
eat fruit ; while those bats without a membrane on 
the nose, seem to live entirely upon fruit and insects, 
but chiefly on the latter. 

2. A gentleman, by name Walcott, lived far up 
the river Demerara. While I was passing a day or 
two at his house, the vampires sucked his son, some 
of his fowls, and his jack-ass, which was the only 
quadruped he had brought with him into the forest. 
The poor ass was doomed to be a prey to these san- 
guinary imps of night ; and I saw, by his sores and 
apparent debility, that he would soon sink under his 
afflictions. Although I was so long in Dutch Guiana, 
visited the Orinoco and Cayenne, ranged through 
part of the interior of Portuguese Guiana, still I 
could never find out how the vampires actually draw 
the blood. I should not feel so mortified at my total 
failure in attempting the discovery, had I not made 
such diligent search after the vampire, and examined 
his haunts. 

3. Europeans may consider as fabulous the stories 
related of the vampire ; but, for my own part, I must 
believe in its powers of sucking blood from living 
animals, as I have repeatedly seen both men and 
beasts that had been repeatedly sucked ; and, more- 
over, I have examined very minutely their bleeding 
wounds. Wishful of having it in my power to say 
that I had been sucked by the vampire, and not 



READING LESSONS. 97 

caring for the loss of ten or twelve ounces of blood, 
I frequently and designedly put myself in the way 
of trial. But the vampire seemed to take a personal 
dislike to me ; and the provoking brute would refuse 
to give my claret one solitary trial, though he would 
tap the more favoured Indian's toe, in a hammock 
within a few yards of mine. For the space of eleven 
months, I slept alone on the loft of a w r ood-cutter's 
abandoned house in the forest ; and though the vam- 
pire came in and out every night, and I had the 
finest opportunity of seeing him, as the moon shone 
through apertures where windows had once been, I 
never could be certain that I saw him make a positive 
attempt to quench his thirst from my veins, though 
he often hovered over the hammock. 

Waterton. 



LESSON XVIII. 



SHIPWRECK OF THE CHILDREN OF HENRY I. 

Ambition (-bish'-), n., desire of power, honour, or command. F. am- 
bition, from ambit e, L., to go round (in search of honours, (fee.) 

Compell'ed, pt., forced. L. compellatus, from pello, I drive. 

Inves'tituee, n., the act of giving possession. F. investiture, from 
vestis, L., a garment. 

Dutch' y, n., a territory that has a duke for its sovereign. F. duche. 
F. due, and L. dux, a duke, a leader, from duco, L., I lead. Duke 
in these countries is a mere title of honour. 

Intoxica'tion, n., inebriation, drunkenness. The I. intossicare, to 
poison, is from toxicum, L., and this, according to some, from toxon, 
G., a bow, in allusion to the matter with which arrows (shot from a 
bow) were sometimes poisoned. 

In'flux, n., an inflowing. L. infiuxus, from fiuo, and this from phluo, 
G., I flow. 

Situation, n., position; the circumstances in which one is placed. 
F. situation, from situs, L., situate. 

Mul'titude, n., a crowd. F. multitude, from multus, L., many. 

Catas'teophe, 7i., concluding event ; a revolution or change of circum- 
stances. F. S. and G. catastrophe ; G. cata or Jcata, and strophe, a 
turning, from strepho, I turn. 

9 



98 THIRD BOOK OF 

Melancholy, n., a depressed or dejected state of mind. L. melan- 
cholia, from melan, G., black, and chole, bile. 

1. The ambition of Henry was now gratified. His 
foreign foes had been compelled to solicit peace ; his 
Norman enemies had been crushed by the weight of 
his arms ; and if further security were wanted, it had 
been obtained by the investiture of the dutchy of 
Normandy, w T hich had been granted to his son Wil- 
liam. After an absence of four years, he resolved to 
return in triumph to England, November, 1120. 

2. At Barfleur he was met by a Norman mariner, 
called Fitz-Stephen, who offered him a mark of gold, 
and solicited the honour of conveying him in his own 
vessel, "The White Ship." It was, he observed, 
new, and manned with fifty of the most able seamen. 
His father had carried the king's father, when he 
sailed to the conquest of England ; and the service 
by which he held his fee, was that of providing for 
the passage of his sovereign. 

3. Henry replied, that he had already chosen a 
vessel for himself; but that he would confide his son 
and his treasures to the care of Fitz-Stephen. With 
the young prince (he was in his eighteenth year) em- 
barked his brother Richard, and his sister Adela, the 
earl of Chester and his countess, the king's niece, 
sixteen other noble ladies, and one hundred and forty 
knights. They spent some hours on deck, in feast- 
ing and dancing, and distributed three barrels of wine 
among the crew ; but the riot and intoxication which 
prevailed about sunset, induced the most prudent to 
quit the vessel and return to the shore. 

4. Henry had set sail as soon as the wind would 
permit. William, after a long delay, ordered Fitz- 
Stephen to follow his father. Immediately every sail 






READING LESSONS. 99 

was unfurled, every oar was plied; but amid the 
music and revelling the care of the helm was neo*- 
lected, and "The White Ship" struck against a 
rock, called the Catteraze. The rapid influx of the 
water admonished the gay and heedless cpmpany of 
their alarming situation. By Fitz-Stephen, the prince 
was immediately lowered into a boat, and told to row 
back to the land ; but the shrieks of his sister recalled 
him to the wreck, and the boat sunk under the mul- 
titude that poured into it. In a short time the vessel 
itself went down, and three hundred persons were 
buried in the waves. 

5. A young nobleman, Geoffry de PAigle, and 
Berold, a butcher of Rouen, alone saved themselves 
by clinging to the top of the mast. After a few 
minutes, the unfortunate Fitz-Stephen swam towards 
them, inquired for the prince, and being told that he 
had perished, plunged under the water. Geoffry, 
benumbed by the cold of a November night, was soon 
washed away, and as he sank, uttered a prayer for 
the safety of his companion. Berold retained his 
hold, and was rescued in the morning by a fishing- 
boat, and related the particulars of this doleful catas- 
trophe. 

- 

6. Henry had arrived at Southampton, and fre- 
quently expressed his surprise at the tardiness of his 
son. The first intelligence was conveyed to Theobald 
of Blois, w T ho communicated it to his friends, but 

| dared not inform the king. The next morning, the 
fatal secret was revealed by a young page, who threw 
himself in tears at his feet. At the shock, Henry 
sank to the ground, but recovering himself, affected 
a display of fortitude which he did not feel. He 
talked of submission to the dispensations of Provi- 



100 THIRD BOOK OF 

dence ; but the wound had penetrated deep into his 
heart: his grief gradually subsided into a settled 
melancholy; and it is said, that from that day he 
was never observed to smile. 

7. Matilda, the wife of the prince, by the death 
of her husband, became a widow at the age of twelve, 
within six months after their marriage. By Henry 
she was treated with the affection of a parent, but 
at the demand of her father, returned to Anjou, and 
ten years afterwards put on the veil in the convent 

of Fontevraud. 

Lingard. 



LESSON XIX. 



HUMILITY, THE FOUNDATION OF PATIENCE. 

Grandee', n., a man of great rank or power. I. and S. grande (gran- 
dee), through the F. grand, great, from grandis, L., great, large, 
magnificent. 

Friend, n., one joined to another in mutual benevolence and intimacy. 
A.S. freond, and Go. frigonds, the latter from frigon, to love. 

Compassion (-pash'-), n., commiseration, painful sympathy. F. com- 
passion, from patior, L., I suffer. 

Omission (-mish'-), n., a neglect of duty. F. omission, from L. omit- 
tere (ob and mittere), to put by, lay aside, <fcc. 

Resignation, n., a submission to the Divine Will, which implies a 
renunciation of one's own. F. resignation. L. resignare, to undo 
the sign or seal, and hence to annul the instrument, and thereby 
yield up what had been granted under seal ; — from signum, a sign. 

Priva'tion, ii., the want or absence of something. F. privation. L. 
privare, to deprive, or take away, from privus, bereft, particular, 
peculiar. 

Convic'tion, n., convincement. F. conviction, from vinco, L., I con- 
quer : — to convince or convict (in argument), is to overcome, to 
vanquish. 

Tempta'tion, n., a hard trial, or proof of fidelity. F. tentation, from 
tento, L., I try. 

Insin'uate, v., to steal in imperceptibly. L. insinuare, to creep in 
secretly ; — in, and sinus, the bosom. 

Pusillanimity, n., faintheartedness, cowardice. F. pusillanimite. L. 
pusillanimus, little-minded, from pusillus, weak, little, — and ani- 
mus, the mind. 






READING LESSONS. 101 

1. The holy Francis Borgia, who, before the death 
of his consort, had been duke of Gandia, and one 
amongst the proudest of Spain's grandees, was one 
day (now a religious), passing through his native 
city, clothed in the humble habit of his society, 
when he was met by a nobleman, a friend of his 
earlier years, who gazed upon him with wonder and 
compassion, and thus at length addressed him : " How 
does this new kind of life please you, my friend ?" — 
"Well," answered Francis, with a cheerful smile. 
" But," continued the other, " how can you endure 
this long and wearying journey on foot? You have 
been accustomed to better things. Who now provides 
for you a becoming apartment, or a wholesome 
repast ?" 

2. u For all this," replied the saint, " I am well 
provided. I meet with the best of entertainment 
and of food, and at night I always find the softest 
couch. My servant and my courier attend carefully 
to these things." 

3. " How so ? you are alone." 

4. " I have sent them onwards before me. But 
that you may more fully comprehend how this prep- 
aration is made for me, know, that at the dawn of 
each morning, when I elevate my heart to God, and 
think of my actions and omissions during the coming 
day, I then form the resolution of receiving with res- 
ignation all the privations, contradictions, troubles, 
and sufferings, which it may please my God to send 
me, in the full conviction that I merit them all, 
and far greater than these, by my sins. This thought 
is the servant that I send before me, and as I find 
everything around me better than I deserve, I con- 

9* 



102 THIRD BOOK OB 

sider myself entertained and served in the best pos- 
sible manner." 

5. Happy is the Christian, who, at the commence- 
ment of each day, has such a servant in attendance 
at his side. " Count it all joy when you shall meet 
with temptations ; knowing, that the trying of your 
faith worketh patience ; and patience hath a perfect 
work." Trials which are involuntary are much more 
profitable than humiliations of choice, in which self- 
love easily insinuates itself. Such therefore, as 
Providence sent, the saint most cheerfully embraced. 
Consequently, he that is true to his faith, and cher- 
ishes sincere humility in his heart, beholds the trials 
of his faith advancing against him : he prepares to 
meet them, and seeks not, by impatience or pusilla- 
nimity, to descend from his cross, but strengthens 
himself by the contemplation of the great Master of 
patience, Jesus Christ, upon his cross on Calvary. 

Butlek. 



LESSON XX. 



THE WADDING TREE. 

Disposition (-zish'-), n., particular inclination or tendency. F. dispo- 
sition, from pono, L., I put, place, or lay. 

File, n., a line or row. F.Jile, from filwn, L., a thread. 

Indent'ed, pt., made unequal at the edge like a row of teeth. F. 
en dent e, from dens, L., a tooth. 

Ob'long, a., longer than broad or wide. F. oblong, from ob, L., and 
longus, long. 

Down, n., elastic feathers, which, when pressed down, rise up again : 
the term is applied to other substances (as in this place), having 
the softness of such feathers. Ger. dunen, from dunsen, to swell, 
to rise. 

Composed', pt, constituted, or made up of. F. compose; from the 
same root as " Disposition." 



READING LESSONS. 103 

Extrem'ity, n., the end ; the farthest or extreme point relatively to 
another point. F. extremite, from extra, L., beyond, on the out- 
side. 

Adhe'sive, a., tenacious, sticking: — a quality in substances composed 
of particles which not only unite together, but attach themselves 
to other substances. F. adherent, from hcereo, L., I stick. 

Issues (ish'-), v., flows out. F. (ob.) issir, to pass out, from exire, L., 
to go. 

Lus'tre, 71., brilliancy, clearness. F. and S. lustre, from luere, L., to 
cleanse, to clear from. 

1. The tree which bears the wadding, or that spe- 
cies of fine cotton which is used in cushions, the 
lining of morning gowns, and for other purposes, 
grows abundantly in Siam, in the open country, and 
without culture. 

2. Of this tree there are two very different species. 
The large wadding-tree (of which there are also two 
kinds) resembles the walnut-tree in the form and 
disposition of its branches. The trunk is generally 
straighter and higher, and not unlike that of the oak. 
The bark is covered in certain parts with a species 
of thorns, short and thick at the base, which are 
ranged in files, and set extremely close. The leaves 
observe a mean between those of the walnut and 
chesnut. They grow in fives ; their stems or stalks, 
which are very short, adhering to a sixth, which 
they possess in common, and which is often more 
than a foot in length. The blossom is of the shape 
and size of an ordinary tulip, but it has thicker leaves, 
and they are covered with a kind of down, which 
feels somewhat rough to the touch. The cup is of a 
clear green, sprinkled with black, and shaped like 
that of the hazel-nut, except that it is not so much 
notched and fringed at the top, it being only a little 
indented in some parts. 

3. All this is common to both species of the large 
wadding-tree. As to the fruit, or more properly 



104 THIRD BOOK OF 

speaking, the case which contains the wadding, it is 
of an oblong-shape, like that of the banana fig. 

4. The second or rather the third species of wad- 
ding-tree is much less in size than the two already 
described. Its leaves are covered on both sides with 
short and very soft down. The pod, w T hich encloses 
the wadding, is composed of two tubes, terminating 
in a point at either extremity, and joined together. 
They are usually of the length of nine or ten, and 
sometimes even twelve inches, and of the thickness 
of the little finger. If opened while they are green, 
a very white and adhesive milk issues forth, and the 
wadding is found within, pressed close, with many 
yellowish grains, of an oblong form. 

5. A species of wadding is cultivated in the West 
Indies, and there called the cotton of Siam, because 
the grain or seed was brought from that country. It 
is of an extraordinary* fineness, even surpassing silk 
in softness. It is sometimes made into hose, which, 
for lustre and beauty, are preferred to silk ones. 
They sell at from ten to fifteen crowns a pair, but 
there are very few made unless for curiosity. 

Lettres Edifiantes. 



www 




LESSON XXI 



PORCELAIN TOWER, NANKIN. 

Or'nament, n., embellishment. F. ornament, from orno, L., I adorn. 

Por'celain, n. y china-ware. F. porcelaine, from cella, L., a cell, and 
so called because believed to be buried in cells : but some say it 
is derived from porcelana (Por.), which means a cup ; because the 
Portuguese were the first who traded to China, and the chief ar- 
ticles they brought from it were cups. 

Octag'onal, «., having eight angles and sides. F. octogone, from (G.) 
okto, eight, and gonia y a corner, an angle. 



BEADING LESSONS. 105 

Pyr'amid, n., a structure broad at the base, and gradually diminish* 
ing to a point, like a torch-flame : — in geometry, a figure whose 
base is a polygon, and sides triangles, the several points of which 
meet in one. F. and S. pyramide, from (G.) pyr or pur, fire. 

Sum'mit, n., the loftiest point, the top. L. summitas, from summus, — 
a contraction of supre/nus, the highest. 

Balustrade', n., a row of small columns, called balusters. Balustrade 
(vulgarly, banisters) means the row of little pillars supporting 
the guard or handrail of a staircase. F. balustrade. I. balaustro, 
a small pillar, said to be from balaustion, G., a flower of the wild 
pomegranate- tree ; probably from a resemblance in the work- 
manship. 

Grate, n., a kind of framed net-work or lattice. L grata, crates, L., 
a crate, a hurdle of rods. 

Niche, n., a recess or hollow in a wall. F. niche ; from nidus, L., a 
nest, a shelf. 

Embel'lish, v., to beautify. F. embellir, from bellus, L., beautiful. 

Em'pire, n., the region over which dominion is extended. F. empire, 
from paro, L., I order, I prepare. 

Without the gates of several great cities in China 
there are lofty towers, which seem chiefly designed 
for ornament, and for taking a view of the adjacent 
country. The most remarkable of these towers is 
that of Nankin, called the porcelain tower, from its 
being entirely covered with porcelain tiles, beauti- 
fully painted. It is of an octagonal figure, contains 
nine stories, and is about two hundred feet high, 
being raised on a very solid base of brick work. 
The wall at the bottom is at least twelve feet thick ; 
and the building gradually diminishes to the top, 
which is terminated by a sort of spire or pyramid, 
having a large golden ball, or pine-apple, on its sum- 
mit. It is surrounded by a balustrade of rough 
marble, and has an ascent of twelve steps to the first 
floor, whence one may ascend to the ninth story, by 
very narrow and incommodious stairs, each step 
being ten inches deep. Between every story there 
is a kind of penthouse or shed on the outside of the 
tower, and at each corner are hung little bells, which, 
being agitated by the wind, make a pleasant jingling. 
Each story is formed by large pieces of timber, and 



106 THIRD BOOK OF 

boards laid across them. The ceilings of the rooms 
are adorned with paintings ; and the light is admitted 
through windows made of grates or lattices of wire. 
There are, likewise, many niches in the wall, filled 
with Chinese idols ; and a variety of ornaments em- 
bellishing the whole, renders it one of the most beau- 
tiful structures in the empire. It has now stood 
above 350 years, and yet appears to have suffered 
but little from the wasting hand of time. 

Smith's Wonders. 



LESSOR XXII. 

VISION OF BALTASSAR. 

1. The king was on his throne, 
The satraps thronged the hall ; 

A thousand bright lamps shone 
O'er that high festival. 

A thousand cups of gold, 
In Judah deem'd divine — 

Jehovah's vessels hold 
The godless heathen's wine ! 

2. In that same hour and hall, 
The fingers of a hand 

Came forth against the wall, 
And wrote as if on sand : 

The fingers of a man ; 
A solitary hand 

Along the letters ran, 
And traced them like a wand. 



READING LESSONS. 107 

3. The monarch saw and shook, 
And bade no more rejoice ; 

All bloodless wax'd his look, 
And tremulous his voice. 

" Ye men of lore, appear, 
The wisest of the earth, 

Expound the words of fear, 
Which mar our royal mirth." 

4. Chaldea's seers are good, 
But here they have no skill ; 

The mystic letters stood 
Untold and awful still. 

And Babel's men of age 
Are wise and deep in lore ; 

But now they were not sage, 
They saw — but knew no more. 

5. A captive in the land. 
A stranger and a youth, 

He heard the king's command, 
He saw that writing's truth. 

The lamps around were bright, 
The prophecy in view ; 

He read it on that night — 
The morrow proved it true. 

6. " Baltassar's grave is made, 
His kingdom pass'd away, 

He, in the balance weigh'd, 
Is light and worthless clay. 

The shroud, his robe of state, 
His canopy the stone ; 

The Mede is at his gate ! 
The Persian on his throne !" 

Byron. 



108 THIRD BOOK OF 

FRAGMENT. 

O slippery state of things ! what sudden turns, 
What strange vicissitudes, in the first leaf 
Of man's sad history ! — to-day most happy ; 
And ere to-morrow's sun hath set, most abject. 

Blair. 






§ 3. LESSON I. 

SAYINGS OF POOR RICHARD. 

Government, n., an establishment of legal authority. F. gouverne- 

ment, from guberno, L., I govern, I guide, I steer. 
Souan'der, v., to spend profusely. Ger. verschwenden, from schanden, 

to destroy. 
Prodigality, n., extravagance, waste. F. prodigalite, from L. prodi- 
gies (a.), and this from prodigere (pro, and agere), to drive forth. 
Perplex'ity, n. t entanglement, distraction of mind. F. perplexity 

from plecto, L., I twist. 
Dil'igence, n., assiduity. F. diligence, L. diligens (a.), from lego, I 

choose, I read. 
La'ziness, n., idleness, sloth. Ger. lassigfeit, from lassen, to intermit, 

to relax. 
Gain, n., profit, anything acquired. F. gain, from A.S. agan, to 

obtain. 
Treas'ure, n., wealth hoarded. F. tresor, from L. thesaurus, — and 

this from G. thesauros,—thesein, to put or place, and auros, — 

whence the L. aurum, gold, or made of gold. 
Leg'acy, n., a bequest or gift by testament ; the person to whom the 

legacy was given is styled the legatee. L. legatum, from lego, I 

send, I bequeath. 
Ca'ble, n., the large rope to which the ship's anchor is affixed. F. 

cable, from kamelos, G., a camel ; probably because cables were 

anciently made of camel's hair. 

1. It would be thought a hard government, that 
should tax its people one-tenth part of their time, to 
be employed in its service : but idleness taxes many 
of us much more : sloth, by bringing on disease, ab- 
solutely shortens life. " Sloth, like rust, consumes 



READING LESSONS. 109 

faster than labour wears ; while the used key is al- 
ways bright," as Poor Eichard says. But, " dost 
thou love life ? then do not squander time, for that 
is the stuff life is made of," as poor Eichard says. 
How much more than is necessary do we spend in 
sleep ! forgetting that " the sleeping fox catcheth no 
poultry," and that "there will be sleeping enough 
in the grave," as Poor Eichard says. 

2. " If time be, of all things, the most precious, 
wasting time must be," as poor Eichard says, " the 
greatest prodigality ;" since, as he elsewhere tells 
us, "lost time is never found again ;" and what we 
call time enough, always proves little enough. Let 
us, then, be up and doing ; and be doing to the pur- 
pose ; so, by diligence shall we do more with less 
perplexity. " Sloth makes all things difficult, but 
industry makes all easy : and he that riseth late, 
must trot all day, and shall scarcely overtake his 
business at night ;" while " laziness travels so slowly, 
that poverty soon overtakes him." " Drive thy busi- 
ness ; let not that drive thee ; and early to bed, and 
early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and 
wise," as Poor Eichard says. 

3. So, what signifies wishing and hoping for better 
times ? We may make these times better, if we be- 
stir ourselves. " Industry needs not wish ; and he 
that lives upon hope will be fasting." " There are 
no gains without pains ; then help, hands, for I have 
no lands ; or if I have, they are heavily taxed. He 
that hath a trade, hath an estate ; and he that hath 
a calling, hath an office of profit and honour," as 
Poor Eichard says ; but, then, the trade must be 
worked at, and the calling well followed, or neither 
the estate nor the office will enable us to pay our 

10 



110 THIRD BOOK OF 

taxes. If we be industrious, we shall never starve ; 
for, " at the working-man's house hunger looks in, 
but dares not enter ; for industry pays debts, while 
despair increaseth them." What ! though you have 
found no treasure, nor has any rich relation left you 
a legacy, " diligence is the mother of good luck, and 
God gives all things to industry ; then, plough deep, 
while sluggards sleep, and you shall have corn to 
sell and to keep ; work while it is called to-day, for 
you know not how much you may be hindered to- 
morrow," as Poor Richard says ; and further, " never 
leave that till to-morrow, which you can do to-day." 
If you were a servant, would you not be ashamed 
that a good master should catch you idle ? Are you, 
then, your own master ? Be ashamed to catch your- 
self idle, where there is so much to be done for vour- 
self, your family, your country, and your sovereign. 
" Handle your tools without mittens ; remember that 
the cat in gloves catches no mice," as Poor Richard 
says. It is true, there is much to be done, and per- 
haps you are weak-handed ; but stick to it steadily, 
and you will see great effects ; for " constant drop- 
ping wears stones," and, " by diligence and patience, 
the mouse ate in two the cable ;" and, "little strokes 
fell great oaks." 

Franklin. 



LESSON II. 

PROVIDENTIAL DELIVERANCE. 

Interposition (-zish'-), n., intervention ; intervenient agency. F. in- 
terposition, from L. interpono, — inter and pono, I put or place. 

Prov'idence, n., the care of God over his creatures. F. providence, 
from L. provider e,— pro and videre, — to foresee, to look forward. 

Tran'quilly, ad., composedly. L. tranquille, from tranquility, quiet. 



READING LESSONS. Ill 

Enor'mous, a., huge. F. enorme. L. enormis, — e and norma, an in- 
strument by which angles were known to be right or not. " * 

Pan'ther, n., an animal of many colours. G. panther. — pan, all, and 
ther, a beast, because the colours of all beasts may be distinguish- 
ed in it. 

An'imal, n., a beast ; any living corporeal creature ; distinct on one 
side from pure spirit ; on the other, from mere matter. L. animal, 
from anima, life. 

Rece'ding, pt, retreating ; going back. L. recedens, — re, and cedens, 
from cedo, I yield, I go back. 

At'titude, n., gesture or position fitted for the display of some pas- 
sion or quality. F. attitude, from attitudine, I. ; and this from ap- 
titudo, L., fitness. 

Grat'itude, ti., the lively and powerful re-action of a well-disposed 
mind, upon whom benevolence has conferred some important good : 
— a lively sense of benefits received or intended. F. gratitude, 
from gratus, L., thankful, grateful. 

Im'minent, a., threatening, impending. F. imminent, from imminere, 
L., im, and minere, to stay or hang over. 

Father Geramb, in the account of Lis pilgrimage 
to Jerusalem, relates an adventure, in which the mer- 
ciful interposition of divine Providence was singular- 
ly visible. Mount Carmel, to which he paid a visit, 
after leaving Nazareth, affords a haunt to wild beasts, 
that sometimes renders it dangerous to the unpro- 
tected traveller. A short time before his arrival, 
some naval officers, belonging to an Austrian frigate, 
which had put into the port of Caiffa, came to the 
monastery, which is situated on the mountain, and 
which affords hospitality to strangers. Their visit 
being ended, they requested a young lad, who acted 
as a kind of domestic in the convent, to show them 
a short way down the mountain, to their long-boat. 
He complied, and after accompanying them a con- 
siderable distance, was returning tranquilly to the 
house of the community, when, on a sudden, he be- 
held an enormous panther rushing down upon him,. 
At the sight of this formidable animal, alone as he 
was, and without strength to use arms, even if he 
was provided with them, his sensations may be easily 
imagined. His knees bent under him, and he felt 



112 THIRD BOOK OF 

himself absolutely incapable of advancing or receding 
a single step. Meanwhile, in the twinkling of an 
eye the panther reached him. Sporting with its 
prey, in the manner of a cat with a mouse which she 
has taken, the ferocious animal began to take differ- 
ent positions, varying its attitudes, and seeking to 
touch him with its foot, as if to tantalise him ; then 
removing suddenly to the distance of some paces, 
darted rapidly upon him. The poor youth under- 
stood very w r ell, by what he had heard of the unhap- 
py fate of others in a similar case, in what manner 
this frightful sport was to terminate ; he believed that 
his last hour was come. In this frightful position, 
destitute of all human succour, he did not, however, 
forget the lessons of his Christian education, which 
taught him, that in every extremity man has an in- 
visible friend, the Lord and Maker of men and ani- 
mals, whose ears are ever open to the cry of the dis- 
tressed, and who, if he sees it expedient for us, can 
at any time rescue us from danger. He recommend- 
ed himself to God, in secret, but fervent prayer. At 
that instant a noise was heard : it was an Arab horse- 
man armed with a gun, who approached with the in- 
tention of passing by the spot. Affrighted in its 
turn, the panther took to flight, at the moment when, 
bereft of all strength, and almost sinking to the earth, 
he whom it had kept a prisoner, was about to be- 
come its victim. He returned to the monastery, 
pouring out his heart in gratitude to Heaven, for 
having so miraculously preserved him from immi- 
nent danger. 



READING LESSONS. 113 

LESSON III. 

SWITZERLAND. 

No product here the barren hills afford, 
But man and steel, the soldier and his sword ; 
No vernal blooms their torpid rocks array, 
But winter, lingering, chills the lap of May ; 
No zephyr fondly sues the mountain's breast, 
But meteors glare, and stormy glooms invest. 
Yet still, ev'n here, content can spread a charm, 
Redress the clime, and all its rage disarm. 
Though poor the peasant's hut, his feasts though small, 
He sees his little lot, the lot of all ; 
Sees no contiguous palace rear its head, 
To shame the meanness of his humble shed ; 
No costly lord the sumptuous banquet deal, 
To make him loathe his vegetable meal : 
But calm, and bred in ignorance and toil, 
Each wish contracting, fits him to the soil. 
Cheerful at morn, he wakes from short repose, 
Breathes the keen air, and carols as he goes ; 
"With patient angle, trolls the finny deep, 
Or drives his vent'rous ploughshare to the steep ; 
Or seeks the den, where snow-tracks mark the way, 
And drags the struggling savage into day. 
At night returning, every labour sped, 
He sits him down, the monarch of a shed ; 
Smiles by his cheerful fire, and round surveys 
His children's looks, that brighten at the blaze: 
While his loved partner, boastful of her hoard, 
Displays her cleanly platter on the board : 
And haply, too, some pilgrim thither led, 
With many a tale repays the nightly bed. 

10* 



114 THIRD BOOK OF 

Thus ev'ry good his native wilds impart, 
Imprints the patriot passion on his heart ; 
And ev'n those hills that round his mansion rise, 
Enhance the bliss his scanty fund supplies : 
Dear is that shed to which his soul conforms, 
And dear that hill which lifts him to the storms ; 
And as a child, when scaring sounds molest, 
Clings close and closer to the mother's breast ; 
So the loud torrent, and the whirlwind's roar, 
But bind him to his native mountains more. 

Goldsmith. 



LESSON IV. 

THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH. 

Illumina'tion, n., infusion of intellectual light, knowledge, or grace. 

F. illumination, from lumen, L., light. 
Elec'tion, n., the act of choosing. F. election, from L. eligo, — e, and 

lego, I elect, I choose. 
Prevar'icated, pt., betrayed his Divine Master with a kiss, the night 

before he hanged himself: — L. prcevaricare, to betray, to evade, to 

swerve from truth and honesty ; from varico, I shuffle in walking, 

I straddle. 
Infused', pt., poured into. F. infuse, from /undo, L., I pour out. 
U'nity, n., concord ; the state of being one. F. unite, from unus, L., 

one. 
Fer/vent, a., ardent, glowing. F. fervent, from ferveo, L., I am hot. 
Provinces, n., a name given by the Romans to conquered countries. 

F. provinces. L. provincial, pro, before, ere now ; or procul, abroad, 

and vinco, I conquer. 
Pros' elyte, n., a convert, one who has come over. F. proselyte. G. 

proselutos, — pros, to or towards, and eleutho (erchomai), — I come. 
Na'tion, n., the country or region where any one is born. F. nation, 

from L. nasci, natus, to be born. 
Intelligence, n., information, news. F. intelligence ; from same root 

as " Election." 

The work of redemption had been consummated ; 
the Son of God had returned to his throne in heaven, 
after he had left to his apostles the command to 



READING LESSONS. 115 

preach the Gospel to every creature. For this vast 
undertaking they required greater strength and illu- 
mination — the gifts of the Holy Ghost, to await 
whose descent they remained at Jerusalem, as they 
had been directed by their Lord. In the mean time, 
they performed nothing except the election of another 
apostle, Matthias, in the place of him who had pre- 
varicated. On the festival day, on which the giving 
of the Old Law on Mount Sinai was celebrated, the 
perfection of the New Covenant in the Christian 
Church was effected. The Holy Ghost descended 
upon the apostles and assembled disciples in the form 
of fiery tongues, and imparted itself to the new-born 
Church, that was then collected in one place. Hence- 
forth it continued as the living soul, inseparably in- 
fused into the body of the Church, preserving it in 
unity of faith and love. Its influence upon the apos- 
tles soon became visible ; weak as they were before 
in faith, doubtful and timorous, they now displayed 
minds full of faith and of understanding, fervent, 
courageous, and undaunted, which not even the threat 
of death could subdue. The festival had drawn to 
Jerusalem Jews and proselytes from every nation of 
the earth. These, Parthians and Medes, inhabitants 
of Mesopotamia, and of the provinces of Asia; Jews 
from Egypt, Home, and Lybia; Cretes and Arabians, 
stood in astonishment when they heard, in their own 
languages, the wonderful things of God, spoken by 
the apostles ; and so powerful was the effect of the 
inspired word of God, coming from the mouth of 
Peter, that in one day three thousand converts added 
themselves to the Church. Many of these, returning 
to their native lands, bore with them the seeds of the 
Divine word ; so that the apostles, when they went 
from Jerusalem to preach to the whole world, found 



116 THIRD BOOK OF 

in many places the way opened before them. The 
cure of the lame man in the portico of the temple, 
and the discourse addressed to the wondering multi- 
tudes by St. Peter, increased the number of believers 
five thousand. But the princes of the Jews could no 
longer remain silent ; the priests and Sadducees, en- 
raged by the intelligence of our Lord's resurrection, 
hastened to the temple, seized Peter and John, cast 
them into prison, and on the following day placed 
them before their tribunal. When the prince of the 
apostles spoke to the council, proving the necessity 
of believing in him whom they had crucified, his ac- 
cusers could do no more than dismiss him, with a 
severe prohibition of again teaching in the name of 
Christ. " Judge ye, if it be just in the sight of God 
to hear you rather than God," was the generous an- 
swer of the disciple of Christ. 

DoLLINGER. 



LESSON Y. 



CHRISTIANITY IN BRITAIN. 

Brit'ain, n., a general name for England, Wales, and Scotland. F. 
Bretagne, or Brittany. L. Britannia, that is, the "Painted Na- 
tion," — from a custom the natives had of painting their bodies: — 
or, according to some, from a Scythic tribe from Gaul, called Brets, 
as England or Angle-land, from a German tribe, called Angles, or 
Anglo-Saxons. 

Irrelevant, a., unaiding, unassisting, — that is, having no connexion, 
no relation to. F. relever, to relieve, i. e., to assist. 

Ambig'uous, a., doubtful, indistinct. L. ambiguus, from ambigere, — 
ambi, around, and agere, to drive ; because when the matter is 
doubtful, one's thoughts drive, as it were, to and fro, to find out 
the meaning. 

Per'manent, «., lasting, enduring. F. permanent, from maneo, L., I 
tarry, I stay. 

Civ'il, a., of or pertaining to the government or policy of a city or 
state. L. civilis, from civis, a citizen. 



READING LESSONS. 117 

Mil'itary, a., soldierly, pertaining to warlike affairs. L. militaris, 

from miles, a soldier ; — a term applied by the Romans to any 

one of the thousand {mille, sl thousand) men employed to defend 

the city. 
Man'date, n., an order given. L. mandatum, from mandare (manus, 

the hand, and dare), to give with the hand ; i. e., a charge, an 

order. 
Per'fidy, n., treachery to faith pledged. F. perfide, from fido, L., I 

trust. 
Moderation, n -> forbearance of extremity. F. moderation, from 

modus, L., a measure, a manner. 
Tor'ture, n., torments judicially inflicted. F. torture, I. S. and L., 

tortura, from tortum, p. pt. of torquere, to twist, to torment. 

1. At the distance of so many ages, it is impos- 
sible to discover by whom Christianity was first 
preached in England. Some writers have ascribed 
that province to Saint Peter ; others have preferred 
the rival claim of Saint Paul : but both opinions, im- 
probable as they are in themselves, rest on most 
slender evidence; on testimonies, which are many 
of them irrelevant, all ambiguous and unsatisfactory. 

2. It is, however, certain, that at a very early pe- 
riod there were Christians in Britain : nor is it diffi- 
cult to account for the circumstance, from the inter- 
course which had long subsisted between the island 
and Pome. Within a very few years from the ascen- 
sion of Christ, the Church of Rome had attained 
great celebrity: soon afterwards it attracted great 
notice, and was honoured with the enmity of Clau- 
dius and Nero. Of the Romans, whom at that pe- 
riod choice or necessity conducted to Britain, and of 
the Britons, who were induced to visit Rome, some 
would, of course, become acquainted with the pro- 
fessors of the Gospel, and yield to the exertions of 
their zeal. 

3. Both Pomponia Grsecina, the wife of the pro- 
consul Plautius, the first who made any permanent 
conquest in the island, and Claudia, a British lady, 



118 THIRD BOOK OF 

who had married the senator Pudens, are, on very 
probable grounds, believed to have been Christians. 
Whether it was by the piety of these ladies, or of 
other individuals, that the doctrine of Christianity 
was first introduced among Britons, it proceeded 
with a silent but steady pace towards the extremity 
of the island. The attention of the Roman officers 
was absorbed in the civil and military duties of their 
stations, and while the blood of the Christians flowed 
in the other provinces of the empire, the Britons 
were suffered to practise the new religion without 
molestation. There is even evidence that the knowl- 
edge of the Gospel was not confined to the subjects 
of Rome. Before the close of the second century, it 
had penetrated among the independent tribes of the 
north. 

4. But in the beginning of the fourth century Dio- 
clesian and Maximian determined to avenge the dis- 
asters of the empire on the professors of the Gospel ; 
and edicts were published, by which the churches in 
every province were ordered to be demolished, and 
the refusal to worship the gods of paganism, was 
made a crime punishable with death. 

5. Though Constantius might condemn, he dared 
not forbid the execution of the imperial mandate : 
but he was careful, at the same time, to show by his 
conduct his own opinion of religious persecution. As- 
sembling around him the Christian officers of his 
household, he communicated to them the will of the 
emperors, and added, that they must determine to 
resign their employments, or to abjure the worship 
of Christ. If some among them preferred their in- 
terest to their religion, they received the reward 
which their perfidy deserved. The Caesar dismissed 



READING LESSONS. 119 

them from his service, observing, that he would never 
trust the fidelity of men who had proved themselves 
traitors to their God. 

6. But the moderation of Constantius did not re- 
strain the zeal of the inferior magistrates. The 
churches in almost every district were levelled with 
the ground ; and of the Christians many fled for 
safety to the forests and mountains, many suffered 
with constancy both torture and death. Gildas has 
preserved the names of Julian and Aaron, citizens 
of Caerleon upon Usk ; and the memory of Alban, 
the protomartyr of Britain, was long celebrated both 
in his own country, and among the neighbouring na- 
tions. But within less than two years Dioclesian 
and Maximian resigned the purple ; Constantius and 
Galerius assumed the title of emperors ; and the 
freedom of religious worship was restored to the 
Christian inhabitants of the island. 

LlNGARD. 



LESSON YI. 



THE HIPPOPOTAMUS, OR RIV£R HORSE. 

Hippopot'amus, n^ the river-horse of the Nile. L. hippopotamus. Gr. 

hippopotamos, — hippos, sl horse, and potamos, a river. 
Muz'zle, n., the mouth ; the term is also applied to anything that 

fastens or confines the mouth. F. museau, formed, perhaps, from 

muth, A.S., the mouth. 
Canine', a., pertaining to a dog : — also applied, as in this place, to the 

eye-teeth, or fangs, of other animals. F. canin, from canis, L., a 

dog. 
Tex'ture, n., degree of smoothness and whiteness ; the composition, 

appearance, &c. F. texture, from texo, L., I weave. 
Protrude', v., to thrust or push forward. L. protrudo, — pro, and 

Itrudo, I thrust. 
Ru'minating, a., having the property of chewing the cud. i. e., of 
bringing back the food reposited in the first stomach, in order to 



120 THIRD BOOK OF 

be chewed again. F. ruminant, from I. and L. ruminare, to chew 

again : — rumen, the cud, the gullet, cfec. 
Grega'rious, a., going in herds like deer. See " Gregarious," p. 69. 
JNoctur'nal, a., nightly ; roaming in the night. L. nocturnus, from 

nox, the night. 
Suc'culent, a., juicy, sappy. F. succulent, from suctum, L., and this, 

probably, from sugere, to suck. 
Devastation, n., waste, havoc. F. devastation. From vastus, L., 

waste, desolate. 



Next to the elephant, the hippopotamus is the 
largest of quadrupeds, being sometimes above seven- 
teen feet long from the extremity of the snout to the 
insertion of the tail, about sixteen round the body : 
and although its legs are so short that its belly nearly 
touches the ground, yet it stands not less than seven 
feet high. The head is large, the muzzle swollen, 
and surrounded with bristles ; the eyes and ears are 
small, and the mouth extremely wide. The canine 
teeth are of enormous size, and of texture like ivory ; 
they are four in number, and protrude like tusks. 
On each foot there are four toes, terminated by small 
hoofs. The stomach bears some resemblance to that 
of a ruminating animal, being divided into several 
sacks. The skin is slack, of a mouse-colour, and 
almost impenetrable to a musket-ball. This huge 
animal is gregarious, and nocturnal in its land habits, 
lurking during the day in the swamps, or among the 
reeds, and during night wandering in search of its 
food, which consists of roots, succulent grasses, rice, 
or whatever grain it can find growing. The devasta- 
tion it commits is immense, not only in the quantity 
that it devours, but in what it tramples down and 
destroys. But, fortunately, these ravages do not ex- 
tend widely, as the hippopotamus seldom ventures 
far from the river, to which it immediately betakes 
itself on the approach of danger, and, plunging in 
head foremost, walks securely on the bottom, only 



STEADING LESSONS. 121 

rising occasionally to the surface to draw breath, and 
merely showing the upper part of its head above the 
water. It possesses great strength, and has been 
known to bite a large piece out of a boat, so as in- 
stantly to sink it, and to raise another, containing 
six men, so high as to upset it. The animal, how- 
ever, is harmless if not disturbed, but when enraged, 
is a dangerous comrade. It is sometimes taken in 
pitfalls, and his flesh is eaten by the natives of 
Africa. The female brings forth her young upon 
land, and seldom more than one at a time. We are 
still but imperfectly acquainted with the habits of 
the hippopotamus ; but it seems to have been well 
known to the Romans. Augustus exhibited one as 
an emblem of Egypt, in his triumph over Cleopatra. 

Airman's Animal Kingdom. 



•V%<^/X/X/Xi 



FRAGMENT. 

With peaceful mind thy race of duty run ; 
God nothing does or suffers to be done 
But what thou wouldst thyself, if thou couldst see 
Through all events of things, as well as he. 

Bykom. 



LESSON TIL 

INFLUENCE OF HEAT ON THE CREATION. 

He'liotrope, w., a plant that turns towards the sun, but more particu- 
larly the turn-sol, or sun-flower. F. heliotrope, from helios, G., the 
sun, and trope, turning. 

Disk, n., the face ; a plane, round surface. L. discus and G. diskos (a 

11 



122 THIRD BOOK OF 

dish, a quoit, or a piece of iron thrown in the ancient sports), from 

dikein, to throw. 
So'lab, a., sunny ; of the sun. L. Solaris, from sol, the sun. 
Peaches, n., a kind of fruit. F. peches. L. persicce, peach-trees, so 

called because originally brought from Persis (Persia). 
JSTight'ingale, n., a bud that sings in the night : in poetry often called 

Philomel, a word of endearment. A.S. nichtgale ; Ger. nachtigal, 

— nacht, the night, and galen, to gale or sing. 
Artificial (-fish'-) a., not natural; contrived with skill. F. artifi- 

ciel, from ars, F. and L., skill, contrivance. 
Def'inite, a., certain, precise. F. defini, from finis, L., the end. 
Na'ture, n., the established course or order of the phenomena, or ap- 
pearances of the universe. F. nature. See " Nation," p. 114. 
Ecs'tacy, n., rapture ; the state of being, as it were, out of oneself, 

(with admiration, joy, cfec.) F. extase. G. ekstasis, — eks, out of, 

and histemi, I stand. 
Aspira'tions, n., pious breathings, or ejaculations. F. aspirations, 

from spiro, L. — from spairo, G. — I breathe. 

When the warm gales of spring have once breathed 
on the earth, it soon becomes covered, in field and 
in forest, with its thick garb of green, and soon open- 
ing flowers or blossoms are everywhere breathing 
back again a fragrance to heaven. Among these, the 
heliotrope is seen always turning its beautiful disk 
to the sun, and many delicate flowers, which open 
their leaves only to catch the direct solar ray, closing 
them often even when a cloud intervenes, and cer- 
tainly, when the chills of night approach. On the 
sunny side of a hill, or in the sheltered crevice of a 
rock, or on a garden wall with warm exposure, there 
may be produced grapes, peaches, and other delicious 
fruits, which will not grow in situations of an oppo- 
site character, all acknowledging heat as the imme- 
diate cause, or indispensable condition, of vegetable 
life. And among animals, too, the effects of heat are 
equally remarkable. The dread silence of winter, 
for instance, is succeeded in spring by one general 
cry of joy. Aloft in the air the lark is everywhere 
carolling ; and in the shrubberies and woods, a 
thousand little throats are similarly pouring forth 



READING LESSONS. 123 

the songs of gladness ; during the day, the thrush 
and blackbird are heard above the rest, and in the 
evening, the sweet nightingale ; for all birds it is the 
season of love and of exquisite enjoyment. It is equal- 
ly so for animals of other kinds ; in favoured England, 
for instance, in April and May, the whole face of the 
country resounds with lowing, and bleating, and 
barking of joy. Even man, the master of the whole, 
whose mind embraces all times and places, is far 
from being insensible to the change of season. His 
far-seeing reason, of course, draws delight from the 
anticipation of autumn, with its fruits ; and his 
benevolence rejoices in the happiness observed among 
all inferior creatures ; but independently of these 
considerations, on his own frame the returning 
warmth exerts a direct influence. In his early life, 
when the natural sensibilities are yet fresh and un- 
altered by the habits of artificial society, spring, to 
man, is always a season of delight. The eyes 
brighten, the whole countenance is animated, and 
the heart feels as if new life were come, and has 
longings for fresh objects of endearment. Of those 
who have passed their early years in the country, 
there are few, who, in their morning walks in spring, 
have not experienced, without very definite cause, a 
kind of tumultuous joy, of which the natural ex- 
pression would have been, how good the God of na- 
ture is to us ! Spring, thus, is a time when sleeping 
sensibility is roused to feel that there lies in nature 
more than the grosser sense perceives. The heart is 
then thrilled with sudden ecstacy, and wakes to as- 
pirations of sweet acknowledgment. 

Arnott. 



124 THIRD BOOK OF 



LESSON YIIL 



FORGIVENESS OF INJURIES. 

Cath'olic, a., of or pertaining to catholicity ; universal. F. catho- 
lique ; D. katholick ; I. and S. catolico ; L. catholicus ; G. katho- 
licos, — kata, and holos, all, the whole. 

Moral'ity, n., the doctrine of man's Christian duties ; ethics. F. 
moralite. L. moralitas, from mos, manner, supposed by some to 
be from modus, measure. 

Sophism (sof-fizm), &,, a subtle fallacy, a fallacious argument. L. 
and G. sophisma, from (G.) sophia, wisdom, and sophistes, a teacher 
of wisdom ; a name arrogated by a sect of pretenders who sup- 
plied their want of knowledge by subtlety of argument ; hence 
sophism. 

Pride, n., a false esteem of our own excellence, accompanied with a 
pleasure in thinking ourselves above what God has made us : — a 
withdrawing of ourselves in our own idea from the subjection we 
owe to God, and the essential dependance we have upon him ; 
and in this the essence of this detestable vice consists. A.S. prcete, 
from pruttian, to extol oneself above others. 

Sac'raments, n., divinely instituted outward or sensible signs of in- 
visible or spiritual graces. F. sacrements, from sacer, L. holy. 

Perfection, n., the state' of being arrived at an exalted degree 
of virtue : perfectness, completeness. F. perfection ; facio, L., 
I do. 

Inef'fable, a., unspeakable ; that cannot be spoken or uttered. F. 
ineffable, from fari, L., to speak. 

Model (mod'- el), n., the standard ; the copy : — that whereby a 
work is measured or fashioned. F. modele, from modus, L., a 
measure. 

Pa'ganism, n., heathenism ; the system of worship followed by the 
pagans or peasants inhabiting the villages and rural districts, 
which often continued pagan or infidel long after the cities had 
become Christian. F. paganisme. L. paganus, a villager, a peas- 
ant, from pagus, a village, and this from (G.) paga, for pege, a 
fountain. 

Sic'kle, n., a reaping-hook. L. secula, or sicula, from seco> I cut. 

1. It is one of the brightest characteristics oi 
Catholic morality, one of the grandest results of its 
authority, that it has anticipated every sophism of 
the passions, by a precept, and by an express declara- 
tion. So, when it was disputed, whether men of a 



READING LESSONS. 125 

ered as men or not ; the Church, by pouring on their 
heads the water of regeneration, put to silence, as 
far as in her lay, these shameful discussions, and de- 
clared them to be brethren in Christ Jesus ; men 
called to partake of his inheritance. More than this, 
Catholic morality even removes those causes, that 
opposed an obstacle to the fulfilment of these two 
great duties, the hatred of error, and the love of 
men ; for she forbids all pride, attachment to earthly 
things, and all that tends to destroy charity. She 
also furnished us w T ith the means of fulfilling both ; 
and these means are all those things that lead the 
mind to the knowledge of justice, and the heart to 
the love of it ; meditation on our duties, prayer, the 
sacraments, distrust in ourselves and confidence in 
God. The man who is sincerely educated in this 
school, elevates his benevolence to a sphere far be- 
yond all opposition, interest, or objections, and this 
perfection, even in this life, receives a great reward. 
To all his moral victories there succeeds a consoling 
calm ; and to love, in God, all those whom we would 
hate according to the reason of the world, becomes, 
to a soul that was born to love, a sentiment of ineffa- 
ble delight. 

2. He who gave the first example of this was cer- 
tainly higher than the angels, but was at the same 
time a man, and in his designs of mercy, he desired 
that his conduct should become a model for every 
one of his followers to imitate. The Redeemer 
prayed for his murderers as he w r as expiring. That 
generation still continued, when Stephen entered the 
first on that career of blood, which the God-man had 
opened. Stephen, with divine wisdom seeking to il- 
luminate his judges and the people, and to call them 
to saving repentance, oppressed with blows, and 

11* 



126 THIRD BOOK OF 

ready to seal his testimony with his blood, yielding 
his spirit to the Lord, makes no other prayer in refer- 
ence to those who slew him, than, u Lord, lay not 
this sin to their charge. And having so said, he fell 
asleep." Such was the conduct of the Christians 
throughout those ages, in which men persisted in the 
unaccountable perversity of worshipping the idols 
they had made with their own hands, and killing the 
just ; and such has ever been the conduct of all true 
Christians ; the horrid repose of paganism they never 
disturbed ; no, not even by their groans. What more 
can be done to preserve peace with men, than to love 
them, and to die ? That this doctrine was consistent 
with itself, and very dear to Christian understand- 
ings, we shall be forced to admit, when even chil- 
dren found it intelligible ; for, faithful to the instruc- 
tions of their mothers, they even smiled at their ex- 
ecutioners ; those who sprung up, imitated those who 
fell before them — first fruits of the saints — flowers 
that blossomed beneath the sickle of the reaper. 

Manzoni. 



LESSON IX. 

HYMN OF A CHILD AT WAKING. 

1. Father ! before whose majesty 
My own dear father bends his knee, 

Whose name my mother hears, to bow 
In lowly reverence her brow. 

2. They say yon radiant orb of light 
Is but the plaything of thy might ; 

But as a sparkling lamp to thee 
Is all his glowing brilliancy. 



READING LESSONS. 127 

3. They say the little birds of song, 
That charm the plain, to thee belong; 

The soul in infant hearts, like mine, 
That know and worship thee, is thine. 

4. They say 'tis thou that makest fair 
The flow T er that scents the summer air ; 

The fruits that teem in autumn's hour, 
Come from thy goodness and thy power. 

5. Thy bounty spreads a rich repast, 
Where'er their lot of life be cast, 

For all invited to the feast, 
Alike the greatest and the least. 

X X * «3f -K # 

6. O God ! my lisping lips proclaim 
That word the angels fear to name ; 

An infant even his voice may raise 
Among the choirs that hymn thy praise. 

7. They say the sounds are ever dear, 
That infancy breathes to his ear ; 

His love the precious recompense 
Of its unconscious innocence. 

8. They say that nought beneath the skies, 
Like to its prayer before him rise ; 

That round him angels hover near, 
And we are like the angels here ! 

9. Ah ! since he hears, so far away, 
The words that we so weakly say, 

I pray his mercy would bestow 
On all that need it here below. 



128 THIRD BOOK OF 

10. Give water to the bubbling spring, 
And plumage to the sparrow's wing ; 

Wool to the lamb, and earth renew 
With cooling shade and sparkling dew. 

11. Give sickness health, and hunger bread, 
A shelter to the orphan's head, 

The light of liberty to all 

Who pine aw r ay in dungeon's thrall. 

12. And to my father, Lord, increase 
Children of piety and peace ; 

Wisdom and grace to me impart, 
That I may glad my mother's heart. 

13. Truth to my lips, and on my soul 
Be sanctity's unspotted stole, 

That in docility and fear, 

I may advance from year to year. 

14. And may to thee each pious breathing 
Of mine ascend like incense wreathing, 

From urns that sweetly smell and shine, 
Borne by some infant hand like mine. 

Lamartine. 



COME NOT, LORD ! IN THE DREAD ROBE OF SPLENDOUR. 

1. Come not, O Lord ! in the dread robe of splendour, 
Thou wor'st on the Mount, in the day of thine 
ire; 

Come veil'd in those shadows, deep, awful, but 
tender, 
Which mercy flings over thy features of fire ! 



READING LESSONS. 129 

2. Lord ! thou remember'st the night, when thy 

nation 
Stood fronting her foe by the red-rolling stream ; 
On Egypt thy pillar frown'd dark desolation, 
"While Israel bask'd all the night in its beam ; 

3. So, when the dread cloud of anger enfolds thee, 

From us, in thy mercy, the dark side remove ; 
While shrouded in terrors the guilty behold thee, 
Oh ! turn upon us the mild light of thy love ! 

Moore. 



LESSON X. 



DEATH OF A YOUNG FRIEND. 

Placid, a., gentle, tranquil, mild. L. placide, from placeo I please. 

Can'dour, n., purity of mind, sincerity in thought and action : — a 
brilliant whiteness. L. candor, from candere, to be white, to shine, 
or glitter. 

Exem'pted, pt, granted immunity from ; freed from by privilege. 
L. exemptus, taken out or away, p. pt. of emo, I take or buy ; de- 
rived by some from emos, G., mine. 

Original (o-rid'-je-nal), a., primitive, first. F. original, from orior, 
L., I spring or rise from. 

Seren'ity, n. t calmness, peace, composure. F. serenite, from serenus, 
L., uncloudy, tranquil. 

Adhe'rents, n., followers, dependants. F. adherents, from hcerco, 
L., I stick. See " Adhesive," p. 103. 

Pal'lid, a., pale. L. pallidus, from palleo, I am pale,— according to 
some from pallo, G., I tremble, I shake, as fear often causes pale- 
ness. 

Pal'ace, n., a princely or lordly residence ; a stately mansion. F. 
palais, from Palaiium, L., the Palatine hill at Rome, on which 
stood the imperial residence and the houses of the principal men 
of the state. 

Poignant, a., piercing, stinging, bitter. F. poignant. L pungente, 
from pungens, p. pt., of pungere, to sting. 

O'dour, n., fragrance, scent. L. odor, from G. odzo, I smell. 

1. Caol had an only son. who from his earliest 
years had conciliated the favour and affection, not 



130 THIRD BOOK OF 

only of his father, but of all those by whom he was 
surrounded. There is none of us, perhaps, who, on 
looking around in the circle of his acquaintance, may 
not fix his thoughts upon some sweet and placid 
characters, to whom innocence and candour appear 
so natural an inheritance, that one could almost 
imagine they had been exempted, by some special 
grace, from the consequences of man's original trans- 
gression. Such was the character of the young 
prince Usna, and the charm of early innocence was 
not lost, as it too often happens, in the progress of 
years and education. In him, as time rolled away, 
the head was not a gainer at the heart's expense, nor 
was love overlaid by intellect. To judge from the 
continual serenity that shone in his features, and the 
affectionate smile which never ceased to play around 
them, one would have supposed that he belonged to 
a world and a society where all was amiable, and 
where suspicion and unkindness were things unknown 
and unheard of. As to vice, his rank and the vigi- 
lance of his instructors secured him from the conta- 
gion of its coarser examples, and its interior senti- 
ments seemed as strange to his mind, as its practice 
to his eyes. 

2. Usna had a young friend, the son of a neigh- 
bouring chieftain, who was the constant companion 
of his sports and studies, and a special object of his 
affection. Similarity of ages, tastes, and inclinations, 
had produced in them its wonted influence, and made 
them, in a manner, necessary to each other. The 
young Moirni entered, with all the pliancy of friend- 
ship, into all the pursuits and pleasures of his young 
friend, and seemed as if none would have an interest 
for him in which Usna did not bear a part. Usna 
had not seen him now for some days, and enjoyed, 



READING LESSONS. 131 

in anticipation, the pleasures of their approaching 
interview ; the heart-felt joy at meeting, the very 
delight at being together, the intimate communica- 
tion of all the thoughts, and sentiments, and events 
that had filled up the interim, since their parting at 
the last change of the moon. As he approached the 
dwelling of his friend, he was astonished to see the 
entrance crowded with the members and adherents 
of the family, who observed a mournful silence while 
he drew near. He inquired for Moirni. There 
seemed a general reluctance to reply. " Dead ! Is it 
possible !" He rushed into the building. There, 
extended on a funeral couch, he beheld the body of 
his friend, no longer conscious of his presence. For 
the first time, no smile appeared upon the lips of 
Moirni ; at his approach, no hand was raised to greet 
him, no flush of joy passed over the pallid features 
of his friend. A brief but violent illness had, within 
the interim between their last meeting and the pres- 
ent, made that warm and loving heart acquainted 
with a coldness, that it had never known before. 
Usna could scarce believe his eyes and ears. He 
gazed in silent astonishment on the closed eyelids 
and pallid features of his friend, which bore so new 
and terrible an expression. He had never, until now, 
looked upon death, and least of all, had death and 
Moirni ever dwelt together in his thoughts. A hor- 
ror seized him, which for a time excluded grief. 
"Dead! Moirni dead!" he repeated continually in 
his mind. The body was removed^ but Usna con- 
tinued to behold it wheresoever he turned his eyes. 

3. For the first time, sorrow seized upon his soul. 
As he returned to his father's palace, all nature 
seemed to have suffered a sudden alteration. The 
skies, the hills, the woods, the flowers, seemed all to 



132 THIRD BOOK OB 

wear a hue of uncertainty and death. His own life 
appeared to him a thing so frail, that it seemed as if 
about to pass away on every breeze that shook the 
surrounding leaves. Every object that had given 
him pleasure, served now only to give more poignan- 
cy to his affliction. Even those to which he had 
hitherto been bound in love, were regarded by him 
with an indescribable feeling of anxiety and appre- 
hension. 

4. " Why waste my thoughts upon them ?" he 
said, as his eyes rested on some favourite object. 
" How long shall I possess them ? Ihey, too, may 
die like Moirni. I see that love is no less the source 
of pain than of delight, with this sad difference, that 
the joy is short-lived, but the pain remains. And 
yet, what is life without it ? Why cannot I find 
something to love, over which death and time can 
have no power ? It is true, I have loved the flowers 
and sunshine of the summer, yet seen them fade 
without regret, because I knew that the next spring 
would bring them back with all their loveliness and 
odour. But what spring shall ever restore life and 
beauty to the inhabitants of the grave ! what summer 
shall bring back Moirni !" 

G. Griffin. 



LESSON XI. 

DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM. 

Insurrection, n., a, seditious rising. L. insurrection from surgo, I 
rise. 

Chris 'tian, n. y one who believes and professes the doctrine of Christ. 
L. christianus, from Christos, G., the Anointed. 

Rebellion, n., a rising up in arms against lawful authority. F. re- 
bellion, from helium, L., war. 



READING ^LESSONS. 133 

Le'gions n., the Roman army : — originally a body of chosen or se- 
lected men. The Theban or " Happy Legion," who, with their 
general officers, were massacred for refusing to sacrifice to idols, 
consisted of nearly 7,000 men. F. and S. legion, from lego, L., I 
choose. 

Pas'chal, a., relating to the Passover, a feast instituted among the 
Jews, in memory of the time when God, smiting the first-born of 
the Egyptians, passed over the habitations of the Hebrews. L. and 
G. pascha ; Heb. pesakh, to pass over. 

Zealots (zel'-), n., persons whose ardour outstrips their judgment. 
L. zelotce, from zelos, G., and this from zeo, I boil. 

Siege, n., a setting or besetting with an armed force. F. siege, from 
sedes, L., a seat : the besiegers are said to sit down before a place; 

Razed (rayzd), pt., laid in ruins ; levelled with the ground. L. 
rasus ; rado, I scrape, scratch up, (fee. 

Implacable, a., maliciously obstinate ; not to be appeased. F. and 
8. implacable, from placo, L., I appease. 

Ju'daism, 7i., the rites or religion of the Jews. F. Judaisme, from 
Juda. 

1. At the first appearance of the insurrection of 
the Jews against the power of the Romans, the Chris- 
tians, who partook not of the visionary hopes of the 
Jewish enthusiasts, and who were mindful of the 
warnings of their Lord (Matt. xxiv. 16), fled to Pella 
in Petrea. Vespasian w r as sent to Judea to suppress 
the rebellion, and after he had been proclaimed em- 
peror of Rome, his son, Titus, conducted his irresist- 
ible legions to the walls of Jerusalem. The paschal 
solemnity had drawn a countless multitude into the 
city, and whilst their enemy approached from with- 
out, all was confusion within. The zealots were en- 
gaged in daily and bloody strife ; citizen slew citizen, 
and the blood of the murdered oftentimes profaned 
the holy of holies in the temple. 

2. At length the city was stormed and taken ; the 
temple was burned ; more than a million of the in- 
habitants perished, during the siege and in the attack, 
by famine, by the sword, or in the flames. Ninety- 
seven thousand were sent away in chains, for the 
barbarous sport of their conquerors in the theatre, or 
to be sold as slaves in their markets. 

12 



134: THIRD BOOK OF 

3. When the thirst of the Romans for blood and 
plunder had been sated, the still standing walls of 
the temple were cast down, and the foundations were 
uprooted from the earth. The city was razed, and 
the plough passed over it, as a sign that never should 
a city or a temple be built there again. Three gates 
were left standing, to proclaim where Jerusalem once 
had been. 

4. Thus, after a siege unparalleled in the history 
of war, fell this noble city, the beloved Jerusalem, 
after it had flourished under the protection of Heav- 
en, more than two thousand years. . 

5. The miserable citizens who had not been car- 
ried away in chains, or crucified around the walls of 
Jerusalem, wandered forlorn over their once happy 
land. Their descendants, after a vain attempt, in 
the reign of Adrian, to rebuild their city, were scat- 
tered amongst the nations of the earth, where their 
children may, to this day, be seen distinct from the 
nations with whom they live. The seat of the Jew- 
ish religion had fallen ; the city of sacrifice had been 
destroyed ; that implacable enemy of Christ, the 
sanhedrim, had been annihilated ; it had become 
evident, even to the most darkened eye, that the time 
had arrived, in which the Church should spring forth, 
as the young plant, from the dead seed of Judaism, 
and should, in a short time, become the vast tree, 
spreading its branches over the whole earth. 

Dollingek. 






READING LESSONS. 135 

LESSON XII. 

THE HABITATION OF MOLES. 

Habitation, n., a place of abode, a dwelling. F. habitation, from 
habeo, L., I have, hold, or keep. 

Depos'it, v., to put, place, or lay in. F. deposer, to depose or deposit. 
I. and L. depono, — de, and pono, I put, (fee. 

Convex 'ity, n., the external surface of a circular protuberance : — a 
bowl reversed or turned upside down shows its convexity or con- 
vex surface, which can hold or retain nothing ; when restored to its 
natural position, it shows its concavity or internal concave surface, 
which can hold or contain. F. convexite, from L. velio, — vexi — I 
carry (around or about). 

Inunda'tions, n., floods, overflowings of water. F. inondations, from 
unda, L., a wave. 

Quest, n., a search, the act of seeking. F. quite or queste, from qum- 
ro, L., I seek, I ask. 

Pace, n., a step ; the distance measured by the foot from point to 
point. F. pas ; L. passus, from passum, p. pt. of pandere, to open 
or stretch, — in reference to the movement of the legs in walking. 

Man'sion, n., a residence : generally applied to a dwelling of consid- 
erable magnitude. L. mansio, from manere, to stay or abide. 

Sol'itude, n., habitual retirement. F. solitude, from solus, L., alone. 

Asy'lum, n., a refuge. L. asylum ; G. asylon, — a, not, and syle, plun- 
der : as refugees were there secure from harm. 

Sol'id, a., firm, strong ; not light. F. solide ; origin doubtful 

The habitation where moles deposit their young, 
merits a particular description ; because it is con- 
structed with peculiar intelligence, and because the 
mole is an animal with which we are well acquainted. 
They begin by raising the earth, and forming a pretty 
high arch. They leave partitions, or a kind of pil- 
lars, at certain distances, beat and press the earth, 
interweave it with the roots of plants, and render it 
so hard and solid, that the water cannot penetrate the 
vault, on account of its convexity and firmness. 
They then elevate a little hillock under the principal 
arch ; upon the latter they lay herbs and leaves, as a 
bed for their young. In this situation they are above 
the level of the ground, and, of course, beyond the 



136 THIRD BOOK OF 

reach of ordinary inundations. They are, at the 
same time, defended from the rains by the large vault 
that covers the internal one ; upon the convexity of 
which last they rest, along with their young. This 
internal hillock is pierced on all sides with sloping 
holes, which descend still lower, and serve as subter- 
raneous passages for the mother to go in quest of 
food for herself and her offspring. These by-paths 
are beaten and firm, extend about twelve or fifteen 
paces, and issue from the principal mansion like rays 
from a centre. Under the superior vault we likewise 
^nd remains of the roots of the plant called meadow 
saffron, which seems to be the first food given to the 
young. From this description it appears that the 
mole never comes abroad but at considerable dis- 
tances from her habitation. In their dark abodes, 
they enjoy the placid habits of repose and solitude, 
the art of securing themselves from injury, of almost 
instantaneously making an asylum or habitation, and 
of procuring a plentiful subsistence without the ne- 
cessity of going abroad. They shut up the entrance 
of their retreats, and seldom leave them, unless com : 
pelled by the admission of water, or when their man- 
sions are demolished by art. 

Smellie. 



FRAGMENT. 

Like to the damask rose you see, 
Or like the blossom on the tree ; 
Or like the dainty flower of May, 
Or like the morning of the day, 
Or like the sun or like the shade, 
Or like the gourd which Jonas made — 



BEADING LESSONS. 137 

Ev'n so is man, whose thread is spun, 
Drawn out, and cut, and so is done. 
The rose withers, the blossom blasteth, 
The flower fades, the morning hasteth, 
The sun sets, the shadow flies 3 
The gourd consumes, and man — he dies. 



LESSON XHL 

FOREIGN CURRANTS — TAMARINDS— SAFFRON — 
CAMPHOR. 

Magazine', n., a storehouse, a repository of provisions. F. magasin, 

from magazino, I., said to be from machsan, Ar., a treasure. 
Tam'arind, n., a small, soft, dark red Indian date. F. tamari?id; I. 

and S. tamarindo. Tamar Hindee, the Indian date. 
Fi'bres, n., the small strings or hair-like threads of roots. Y. fibres ; 

I. S. and L.fibra, which originally meant an extremity ; afterwards 

a filament or string of the muscles and veins, or of the roots of 

plants. 
Bev'erage, n., a drink. I. beveraggio, from bevere, to drink. L. bibo, 

I drink. 
Pun'gent, a., stimulating ; sharp on the tongue. See " Poignant," p. 

129. 
Volatile (vol'-a-til), a., having the power to pass off by spontaneous 

evaporation. F. volatile, from volo, L., I fly. 
Aromat'ic, a., fragrant, strong-scented. F. aromatique ; G. aro- 

matikos, from arovia, spice ; that which breathes out an agreeable 

odour. 
Conta'gion, n., infection ; the emission from body to body by which 

diseases are communicated. F. contagion, from tango, L., I 

touch. 
Pis'til, n., Petals, n., the pistil is the middle of a seed-flower (I. pis- 

tilio) ; the petals, those fine-coloured leaves that compose the 

flowers of plants. G. petalon, a leaf, from petao, I expand, I open. 
Por'table, a., manageable by the hand ; carriageable. L. portabilis, 

from portO) I carry. 

1. The foreign or dried currants are a species of 
small raisins or grapes, which grow chiefly in the 
Grecian Islands. They were formerly very abun- 

12* 



138 THIRD BOOK OF 

dant in the Isthmus of Corinth, and were thence 
called Corinths : this term has been corrupted into 
currants, probably from their resemblance to the 
English fruit of that name. These little grapes have 
no stones, and are of a reddish black colour ; they 
are extremely delicious when fresh gathered. The 
harvest commences in August ; and as soon as the 
grapes are gathered, they are spread to dry on a 
floor, prepared for the purpose by stamping the earth 
quite hard. This floor is formed with a gentle rising 
in the middle, that the rain, in case any should fall, 
may flow off and not injure the fruit. When suffi- 
ciently dry, the currants are cleaned and laid up in 
magazines, where they are so closely pressed to- 
gether, that when a supply is needed, it is dug out 
with an iron instrument. They are packed in large 
casks for exportation, and trodden down by the 
natives. 

2. The fruit of the Tamarind is a roundish, some- 
what compressed pod, about four or five inches long, 
the external part of which is very brittle. Each pod 
contains three or four hard seeds, enclosed in tough 
skins, surrounded by a dark-coloured acid pulp, and 
connected together by numerous woody fibres. Be- 
fore the tamarinds are exported, the pulp, with the 
seeds and fibres, are taken out of the pod, and those 
which are the produce of the West Indies are pre- 
served in a sirop. The East Indian tamarinds are 
usually sent without any such admixture. In hot 
countries the tamarind is valued as a refreshing 
fruit ; and, steeped in water, it forms a cooling bev- 
erage. 

3. Saffron is the orange-coloured pistil of a purple 
species of crocus, the petals of which appear in 



READING LESSONS. 139 

spring, and the blossoms in autumn. It abounds in 
the neighbourhood of Saffron Walden, in Essex, which 
takes its name from that circumstance. The flowers 
are gathered every morning just before they expand ; 
and as they continue to open in succession for sev- 
eral weeks, the saffron harvest lasts a considerable 
time. "When the flowers are gathered, they are 
spread on a table : the upper part of the pistil only 
is of any value. When a sufficient quantity of these 
are collected, they are dried upon a kind of portable 
kiln ; over this a hair-cloth is stretched, and upon it 
a few sheets of white paper ; the saffron is placed 
upon these to the thickness of two or three inches ; 
the w T hole is then covered with white paper, over 
which is placed a coarse blanket or canvass bag, 
filled with straw. When the fire has heated the kiln, 
a board, on which is a weight, is placed upon the 
blanket, and presses the saffron together. It is used 
as a medicine, to flavour cakes, and to form a yellow 
dye. 

4. Camphor is the peculiar juice of a species of 
laurel, called the camphor-tree, which is abundant 
in China, Borneo, and Ceylon. Exposure to the air 
hardens it. It is remarkably inflammable, and is 
used by the Indian princes to illuminate their rooms. 
It is pungent, volatile, acrid, and strongly aromatic. 
These qualities have rendered it useful as a medi- 
cine, and in sick rooms to prevent contagion. It is 
also placed in cabinets of natural history, to destroy 
the small insects that prey upon the specimens. 

Mayo. 



140 THIRD BOOK OF 

LESSON XIV. 

THE THREE BLACK CROWS. 

Two honest tradesmen meeting in the Strand, 
One took the other briskly by the hand ; 
" Hark-ye," said he, " 'tis an odd story this 
About the crows !" — " I don't know what it is," 
Replied his friend. — " No ! I'm surprised at that ; 
Where I come from it is the common chat ; 
But you shall hear an odd affair, indeed ! 
And that it happened, they are all agreed : 
Not to detain you from a thing so strange, 
A gentleman who lives not far from 'Change, 
This week, in short, as all the Alley knows, 
A vomit took, and threw up three black crows !" 
" Impossible !" — " Nay, but 'tis really true ; 
I had it from good hands, and so may you." 
" From whom, I pray ?" — So, having named the man, 
Straight to inquire, his curious comrade ran, 
" Sir, did you tell ?" — relating the affair. 
" Yes, sir, I did ; and if 'tis worth your care. 
Ask Mr." — such a one — " he told it me ; 
But by-the-by, 'twas two black crows, not three /" 
Resolved to trace so wondrous an event, 
Quick to the third the virtuoso went. 
" Sir," — and so forth — ." Why, yes ; the thing is fact, 
Though in regard to number not exact : 
It was not two black crows, 'twas only one / 
The truth of that you may depend upon ; 
The gentleman himself told me the case." — 
"Where may I find him?" — "Why, in" — such a 
place. 



READING LESSONS. 141 

Away he went, and having found him out, 

f Sir, be so good as to resolve a doubt." 

Then to his last informant he referred, 

And begged to know, if true what he had heard : 

" Did you, sir, throw up a black crow ?" — " Not I." 

" Bless me ! how people propagate a lie ! 

Black crows have been thrown up, three, two, and 

one ; 
And here, I find, all comes at last to none ! 
Did you say anything of a crow at all ?" 
" Crow, — crow, — perhaps I might, now I recall 
The matter over." — " And pray, sir, what was't ?" 
" Why, I was horrid sick, and at the last 
I did throw up, and told my neighbour so, 
Something that was— as black, sir, as a crowP 

Byrom. 



THE DISTINCTION OF AGES. 

The seven first years of life (man's break of day) 
Gleams of short sense, a dawn of thought display ; 
"When fourteen springs have bloom'd his downy cheek, 
His soft and blushful meanings learn to speak ; 
From tw T enty-one proud manhood takes its date, 
Yet is not strength complete till twenty-eight ; 
Thence to # his five-and-thirtieth, life's gay fire 
Sparkles, burns loud, and flames in fierce desire : 
At forty-two, his eyes grave wisdom wear, 
And the dark future dims him o'er w r ith care ; 
On to the nine-and-fortieth, toils increase, 
And busy hopes and fears disturb his peace ; 
At fifty-six, cool reason reigns entire, 
Then life burns steady, and with temp'rate fire ; 



142 THIRD BOOK OF 

But sixty-three unbinds the body's strength, 
Ere the unwearied mind has run her length : 
And when from sev'nty, age surveys her last, 
Tired she stops short — and wishes all were past. 

Hill, 



LESSON XV. 



GLASS PUTTY. 

Ai/kali, n., the ashes of plants ; any substance which, when mingled 

with acid, produces fermentation. F. alkali, from (Ar.) at, and 

kali, a plant, — from the ashes of which alkaline substances are 

procured. 
Intense', a., very great, raised to a high degree. I. and S. intenso, 

from tendo, L., I stretch. 
Vit'rified, pt., converted into glass. F. vitrifie, from vitrum, L., glass, 

and fieri, to be made. 
Transparent, a., pellucid, — yielding a free passage to rays of light, 

so that objects appear through. F. transparent. L. transparent, 

— trans, through, and parens, p. pt. of parere, to appear. 
Incorro'dible, a., impossible to be consumed or eaten away. F. cor- 

roder, to consume or waste away, from rodere, L., to gnaw. 
Duo'tile, a., capable of being drawn out ; pliable. F. ductile, from 

duco, L., I draw. 
Plas'tic, a., capable of being moulded into any form. I. plastico, 

from (G.) plasso, or platto, I form or frame. 
Anneal (-nele'), v., to heat glass after it is blown, that it may not 

break ; to temper glass or metal. A.S. anailan, from (Go.) el, eld, 

fire. 
Fo'lia, n., lamina? or thin plates ; leaves. L. folia. Folium, L., and 

phullon, G., a leaf. 
Unc'tuous, a., clammy, oily. F. onctueux, from unctus, L., anointed. 

1. Glass is made of sand or flint, combined with 
an alkali, by exposure to intense heat, which causes 
these substances to melt and unite. This mixture is 
said to have been discovered accidentally in Syria, 
by some merchants who were driven by stress of 
weather upon its shores. They had lighted a fire 
upon the sands, to cook their food ; the fire was made 
of the plant called kali, which grows on the sea shore; 



READING LESSONS. 143 

and the sand, mixing with the ashes, became vitrified 
by the heat. This furnished the merchants with the 
hint that led to the making of glass, which was first 
regularly manufactured at Sidon in Syria. England 
is now much celebrated for its glass. The qualities 
which render this substance so valuable, are, that it 
is hard, transparent, nearly incorrodible, not being 
readily affected by any substance but acid in a fluid 
state ; and that, when fused or melted, it becomes so 
ductile and plastic, that it may be moulded into any 
form, which it will retain, when cool. There are 
three sorts of furnaces used in making it: one to pre- 

l pare the frit, a second to work the glass, and a third 
to anneal it. After having properly mixed the ashes 
and sand, they are put into the first furnace, where 
they are burned or calcined for a sufficient time, and 
become what is called frit. This being boiled after- 

' wards in pots or crucibles of pipe-clay, in the second 
furnace, is fit for the operation of blowing ; the an- 
nealing furnace is intended to cool the glass very 
gradually ; for if it be exposed to the cold air imme- 
diately after being blown, it will fall into a thousand 
pieces, as if struck by a hammer. Before glass was 
invented, thin folia of rnica or horn were used for 
windows. 

2. Putty is a soft, unctuous substance, which hard- 
ens by exposure to air, and is used by glaziers to 
fasten the panes of glass to the window-frames. It 
is composed of linseed oil and whiting, sometimes 
with the addition of white lead. The whiting is pre- 
pared from chalk, ground into a fine powder; and 
the oil and white lead are worked into it till all the 
substances are thoroughly mixed together. Linseed 
oil is extracted from the seed of the flax ; which in 

1 Latin is called linum. Mayo. 



144: THIRD BOOK OF 



LESSON XYI. 



ST. BRIDGET. 

Religious (re-lid'-jus,) a., as applied to a community, religious indi- 
cates that the persons who form it are bound again, that is, have 
taken the vows of religion, — poverty, chastity, and obedience. F. 
religieux, from religio, L., the bond or obligation of man to God, 
from ligo, I bind. 

Veil, n., that part of a nun's religious dress which covers the head 
and in part conceals the face. A veil was anciently a mark of 
subjection, and as such was worn by married women : in religious 
women it is a sign of their alliance and engagement with their 
heavenly Spouse. F. voile, from velum, L., a covering. 

Virgin (ver'-), n., a maiden who has preserved her chastity : it is 
sometimes applied to a man ; St. John E. is styled " the virgin dis- 
ciple :" — it is also used to denote anything pure or uncontaminated. 
S. virgen; L. virgo, from vir-ago {vir, a man, from vis, strength, 
and ago, I act), a woman who acts like a man ; — that is, practises 
virtue (from vir) and performs deeds of heroism befitting a man, 
— a Christian man, and soldier of Christ. 

Widow (wid'-o), n., a wife bereft of her husband, i. e., separated from 
him by death. Go. widowo ; L. vidua, a widow, from viduus, be- 
reaved, and this from the ob. iduo, I separate. 

Di'ocess, n., the circuit of a bishop's jurisdiction; the division of an 
archbishop's province under the jurisdiction of each bishop : — a por- 
tion of an inhabited country. F. diocese ; G. dioikesis, from dioi- 
kein, to dwell apart : oikos, a house, a possession. 

Illus'trious, a., noble, famous. L. illustris, from lustrum, a clarify- 
ing, a purifying. 

Deputation, n., persons specially commissioned or delegated to trans- 
act or manage any affair. F. deputation, from puto, L., I adjust. 

Pil'grim, n., one who makes a journey of penance or devotion ; a 
traveller. D. pelgrim ; I. pellegrino, from L. peregrinus, a travel- 
ler : — pereger {per, and ager, a field). 

Men'dicant, n., one who begs alms. F. mendiant ; L. mendicus, from 
menda, a deficiency, a want. 

Bish'op, n., one of the first order of the clergy ; literally an overseer. 
A.S. bisceop ; L. episcopus ; G. episcopos, — epi, over or into, and 
skopeo, I look, I see. 

The institution of female monasteries, or nunne- 
ries, such as, in the fourth century, were established 
abroad by Melania, and other pious women, was in- 
troduced into Ireland, towards the close of the fifth 
century, by St. Bridget ; and so general was the en- 



READING LESSONS. 145 

thusiasm her example excited, that the religious or- 
der which she instituted, spread its branches through 
every part of the country. Taking the veil herself 
at a very early age, when, as we are told, she was 
clothed in the white garment, and the white veil 
placed upon her head, she was immediately followed, 
in this step, by seven or eight young maidens, who, 
attaching themselves to her fortunes, formed, at the 
first, her small religious community. The pure sanc- 
tity of this virgin's life, and the supernatural gifts at- 
tributed to her, spread the fame she had acquired 
more widely every day, and crowds of young women 
and widows applied for admission into her institu- 
tion. At first she contented herself with founding 
establishments for her followers in the respective dis- 
tricts of which thev were natives ; and in this task 
the bishops of the different diocesses appear to have 
concurred with and assisted her. But the increasing 
number of those who required her own immediate 
superintendence, rendered it necessary to form some 
one great establishment, over which she should her- 
self preside ; and the people of Leinster, who claimed 
to be peculiarly entitled to her presence, from the il- 
lustrious family to which she belonged having been 
natives of their province, sent a deputation to her, to 
entreat that she would fix among them her residence. 
To this request the saint assented ; and a habitation 
was immediately provided for herself and her sister 
nuns, which formed the commencement both of her 
great monastery, and of the town or city of Kildare. 
The name of Kildara, or cell of the oak, was given 
to the monastery, from a very high oak-tree which 
grew near the spot, and of which the trunk w T as still 
remaining in the twelfth century ; no one daring, as 
we are told by Giraldus, to touch it with a knife, 

13 



146 THIRD BOOK OF 

The extraordinary veneration in which, St. Bridget 
was held, caused such a resort of persons of all ranks 
to this place — such crowds of penitents, pilgrims, 
and mendicants — that a new town sprang up rapidly 
around her, which kept pace with the growing pros- 
perity of the establishment. The necessity of pro- 
viding spiritual direction, as well for the institution 
itself, as for the numerous settlers in the new town, 
led to the appointment of a bishop of Kildare, with 
the then unusual privilege of presiding over all the 
churches and communities belonging to the order of 

St. Bridget throughout the kingdom. 

Moore. 



LESSON XVII. 

THE CATACOMBS. 

Cat'acombs, n., hollow places against the sides of caverns, for depos- 
iting the bodies of the dead. F. catacombs, from (G.) kata, and 
kumbos, a hollow. 

Por'tico, n., a piazza or porch. See p. 48. 

Intersections, n., the points where lines cross each other. F. inter- 
sections, from (L.) inter and seco, I cut. 

Lab'yrinth, n., a place formed witli many windings and turnings, 
and difficult to escape from ; a place formed to take or confine, 
F. labyrinthe ; G. labyrinthos, from labein, to take. 

Cem'ent, n., an adhesive, binding compost of lime, sand, or other 
materials: originally small stones, or fragments used for filling in 
the building of a wall. F. ciment, from (L.) ccementum, from cwdo, 
I cut ; — because small stones were cut off the large for, <fcc. 

Vi'al or Phi'al, n. f a small bottle. G. phiale, a bowl, a vase. 

Initials (in-ish'-als), n., the first letters of words ; first principles. 
L. initia, from iturn, said to be from eo, I go (first). 

Repository, n., a place where anything is safely laid up. L. reposi- 
torium, from re, and ponere, to put, place, or lay. 

Fet'id, a., offensive, rancid. F.fetide, from fcetere, L., to have a bad 
smell. 

Pre'cinct, n., outward limit (of the catacombs, where light reappears). 
I. precinto, from cingo, L., I surround. 

St. Sebastian's, a church erected by Const&rjtiae 



READING LESSONS. 147 

in memory of the celebrated martyr whose name it 
bears, has a handsome portico, and contains some 
good pictures and paintings. It is, however, more 
remarkable for being the principal entrance into the 
catacombs which lie in its neighbourhood. The 
catacombs are subterraneous streets or galleries, from 
four to eight feet in height, from two to five in 
breadth, extending to an immense and almost un- 
known length, and branching out into various walks. 
The confusion occasioned by the intersection of these 
galleries resembles that of a labyrinth, and renders 
it difficult, and, without great precaution, dangerous, 
to penetrate far into their recesses. The catacombs 
were originally excavated, in order to find that earth 
or sand, called at present, puzzolana, and supposed 
to form the best and most lasting cement. They 
followed the direction of the vein of sand, and were 
abandoned when that was exhausted, and oftentimes 
totally forgotten. Such lone, unfrequented caverns 
afforded a most commodious retreat to the Christians, 
during the persecutions of the three first centuries. 
In them, therefore, they held their assemblies, cele- 
brated the holy mysteries, and deposited the remains 
of their martyred brethren. For the latter purpose 
they employed niches in the sides of the w r alls, placed 
there the body, with a vial filled with the blood of 
the martyr, or perhaps some of the instruments of 
his execution, and closed up the mouth of the niche 
! with thin bricks or tiles. Sometimes the name was 
inscribed, with a word or two importing the belief 
and hopes of the deceased ; at other times, a cross, 
or the initials of the titles of our Saviour interwoven, 
were the only marks employed to certify that the 
body enclosed, belonged to a Christian. Several 
bodies have been found without any inscription, 



148 THIRD BOOK OF 

mark, or indication of name or profession. Such 
may have belonged to pagans, as it is highly proba- 
ble that these cavities were used as burial places, 
before, as well as during, the age of persecutions. It 
is impossible to range over these vast repositories of 
the dead, these walks of horror and desolation, with- 
out sentiments of awe, veneration, and almost of 
horror. We seemed on entering to descend into the 
regions of the departed, wrapped up in the impene- 
trable gloom of the grave. Independent, of these 
imaginary terrors, the damp air and fetid exhalations 
warn the curious traveller to abridge his stay, and 

hasten to the precincts of day. 

Eustace. 



LESSON XVIII. 



THE PAPYRUS. 

Triang'ular, a., having three angles, and therefore three sides. F. 
triangulaire, from (L.) tres, — tria, three, and angulus, an angle. 
See " Rectangular," p. 65. 

Fil'aments, n., threads or strings. F. Jilaments, from filum, L., a 
thread. 

Pa'per, n., the substance upon which writing and printing are ex- 
ecuted ; now made of rags ; anciently from the papyrus, a species 
of reed growing on the banks of the Nile ; — and still later of leaves. 

F. papier, from papyrus, L., — papyros, G., a plant, <fcc. 

Keel, n. t the bottom of a ship, so called on account of its hollowness. 
Keel here means the timber that extends at the bottom from end 
to end, that is, from the prow to the stern. Ger. keel ; D. kiel ; 

G. koile, from koilos, hollow. 

Lig'ature, ti., anything bound round another bandage ; a band. F. 
ligature, from ligo, L., I bind. 

Pel'licle, n., a small or thin skin : sometimes it is used for the film 
which gathers upon liquors impregnated with salts or other sub- 
stances, and evaporated by heat. L. pellicula, from pellis, the 
skin. 

Riband or Ribbon (both pr. rib'-bin), n., a band or fillet of silk or 
satin, worn for ornament. F. ruban, from rubens, L., red, — because 
the more beautiful ribbons were made of that colour. 



READING LESSONS. 149 

Transverse'ly, ad., athwart, across ; in a cross direction. L. trans- 

verse, from trans, and verto, I turn. 
Sac'charine, a., sugary ; having properties resembling those of sugar. 

F. saccharin ; G. sakcharon ; Ar. saccar, from succar, sugar. 
Impregnated, pt, saturated with. See p. 55. 

1. The papyrus most naturally suggests itself, when- 
ever we turn our attention to the vegetable produc- 
tions of Egypt. The stalk is of a vivid green, of a 
triangular form, and tapering towards the top. 
Pliny says, that the root is as thick as a man's arm, 
and that the plant occasionally exceeds fifteen feet 
in height. At present it is rarely found more than 
ten feet long, about two feet, or little more, of the 
lower part of the stalk being covered with hollow, 
sharp-pointed leaves, which overlap each other like 
scales, and fortify the most exposed part of the stem. 
These are usually of a yellow or dusky-brown colour. 
The head is composed of a number of small grassy 
filaments, each about a foot long. Near the middle 
each of these filaments parts into four, and in the 
point of partition are four branches of flowers, the 
termination of which is not unlike an ear of wheat 
in form, but is in fact a soft, silky husk. 

2. This singular vegetable was used for a variety 
of purposes ; the principal of which were, the struc- 
ture of boats and the manufacture of paper. In re- 
gard to the first, we are told by Pliny, a piece of the 
acacia-tree was put in the bottom to serve as a keel, 
to which the plants were joined, being first sewed 
together, then gathered up at the stem and stern, and 
made fast by means of a ligature. 

3. But it is as a substance for writing upon that 
the papyrus is best known, and most interesting to 
the scholar. The process by which the plant was 
prepared for this purpose, is briefly stated by the 

13* 



150 THIRD BOOK OF 

Roman naturalist. The thick part of the stalk being 
cut in two, the pellicle between the pith and bark, or 
perhaps the two pellicles, were stripped off and di- 
vided by an iron instrument. This was squared at 
the sides, so as to be like a riband, then laid upon a 
smooth table, after being cut into proper lengths. 
These strips or ribands were lapped over each other 
by a very thin border, and then pieces of the same 
kind were laid transversely, the length of these last 
answering to the breadth of the first. This being 
done, a weight was laid upon them while they were 
yet moist ; they were then dried in the sun. It was 
thought that the water of the Nile had a gummy 
quality sufficiently strong to glue these strips to- 
gether ; but Mr. Bruce, who ascertained by experi- 
ment that this opinion is perfectly groundless, sug- 
gests that the effect was produced by means of the 
saccharine matter with which the papyrus is strongly 
impregnated. The flower of this plant, it is well 
known, was used for religious purposes. 

Cabinet Library. 



LESSON XIX. 

MANUFACTURE OF TAPE. 

Process (pros'-ses), n., regular and gradual course ; methodical man- 
agement of anything. F. proces, from cedo, L., I go, I advance. 

Cot'ton, ?i., the down of the cotton-tree : — cloth made of cotton. F. 
and S. coton ; I. cotone, — so called from its resemblance to the 
down which adheres to the quince : — I. cotogni ; L* cotoneum, a 
quince. 

Appara'tus, n. y things prepared or provided (for lapping, <fcc.) col- 
lectively. L. apparatus, from paro, I make ready. 

Equable (e'-kwa-bl), a., even, regular, uniform. L. aequus, from eikos, 
G., like, similar. 

Sys'tem, n., an orderly collection, or a connected series of dependent 



READING LESSONS. 151 

or successive parts. L. and G. systema, from (G.) syn, with, or to- 
gether with, — and histasthai, to place or set. 

Throstle (thros'-sel), n., the diminutive of thrush. Ger. trostle, a. 
thrush. Perhaps the name, as applied to a spinning frame, may 
have been suggested by some resemblance in the sound of the 
machine in working to the notes of the thrush. The willowing 
machine may have borrowed its name from the willow (A.S.welic), 
a tree, so called because it shoots up rapidly and willingly or 
freely — in allusion to the freedom and rapidity with which the 
machine acts. To slubber, is to cover up anything coarsely or 
carelessly. Doffing, means putting away or laying aside : doff 
or do off] to put off; hence doffer. 

Compact', a., close, dense. F. cotnpacte, from pactus, L., driven in, 
from pango, I drive, I fasten. 

Raw, a., imperfect, unfinished, undressed. D. rouw ; Ger. roh ; A.S. 
hreow, crude. See " Rude," p. 89. 

Rro'ker, n., one who breaks goods bought by wholesale or in large 
packages ; one who sells, as agent, in parts or portions ; one who 
acts between buyer and seller. Broker may be so denominated 
from the verb to break. 

Tex'ders, n., attenders; the persons waiting by, watching or supply- 
ing (the machines, <fec.) with. From tendo, L., I reach, I tend, I 
spread, <fcc. 

To trace the various processes a piece of tape 
passes through, and the various employments it af- 
fords, before it comes into the market, is a very cu- 
rious and interesting occupation. Beginning, then, 
with the first commercial operations ; the cotton used 
in the manufacture of tapes, having been warehoused 
in Liverpool, is sold on account of the importer, and 
bought to the order of the manufacturer by cotton- 
brokers. It is conveyed by canal or railway to Man- 
chester ; and when delivered at the works of the pur- 
chaser, is weighed, assorted, mixed, and spread, with 
a view to obtain equality in the staple. It is then 
taken to the willowing machine, to be opened or 
loosened; thence it is transferred to the blowing 
machine, which cleans it from dust, and makes it 
feathery. Attached to the blower is a lapping ap- 
paratus, by which the cotton is taken up and laid in 
a continuous fleece upon a roller, in order that it 
may be conveniently carried to the carding engine, 



152 THIRD BOOK OF 

there to be made into a fleece of the most equable 
texture possible ; thence it is handed to the drawing- 
frame, where it is blended with the production of all 
the carding engines, connected with the particular 
set or system to which it belongs. It is next passed 
through the stubbing frame, afterwards through the 
jack, or roving- frame, and then through the throstle, 
or spinning-frame, upon which it is made into yarn 
or twist. From the throstle, the yarn, if intended 
for warp, is forwarded to the winding-frame, but if 
intended for weft, to the reeler ; afterwards, that 
which is wound, is delivered to the warper, that 
which is reeled, to the pin-winder. The weavemext 
operates upon it, passes it through the loom, rubs up 
the tape, and consigns it to the taker-in, who exam- 
ines the fabric, and transfers it to the putter-out, who 
sends it to the bleacher. When bleached, it is handed 
to the scraper, whose business it is to take out the 
creases, and open the tape, by running it under and 
over iron scrapers. This having been done, the piece 
is put through the calender, where it is pressed be- 
tween hot bowls, and rendered smooth and glossy. 
It is next taken to the lapping department, where it 
is neatly folded by young women ; after which, the 
maker-up forms the piece into parcels, containing 
the required quantity, and places them in a powerful 
press, to make them compact. He next papers them, 
and sends them to the warehouse, for sale. Thus, in 
its progress from the raw material, a piece of tape 
has afforded employment to the broker of the manu- 
facturer, to the carrier, to the mixer of the cotton, 
to the tenders of the willow, of the blower, of the 
carding-engine, of the drawing-frame, slubbing-frame, 
roving-frame, and throstle ; to the doffer, bobbin- 
winder, reeler, warper, pin-winder, weaver, taker-in, 



READING LESSONS. 153 

putter-out, bleacher, scraper, calender-man, lapper, 
maker-up, and salesman ; or, to at least twenty-five 
persons, before it leaves the warehouse of the manu- 
facturer, where 12 pieces, of 18 yards each, or 216 
yards of cotton-tape, of nearly half an inch in width, 
and containing 9,170 yards of yarn, are sold for 
eighteen pence ; or 12 yards of finished tape, con- 
taining 509 yards of yarn, for the small sum of one 
penny. Some idea of the extent to which this manu- 
facture is carried on in Manchester, may be formed 
from the fact, that at the works of Messrs. Wood 
and Westheads, upwards of 1,240,000 yards of goods, 
not exceeding three inches in width, and composed 
partly or entirely of cotton, linen, silk, or worsted, 
are woven in one week, or upwards of 35,227 miles 

in one year. 

Manchester as it is. 



LESSON XX. 

THE DYING CHRISTIAN TO HIS SOUL. 

1. Vital spark of heavenly flame ! 
Quit, oh, quit this mortal frame : 
Trembling, hoping, ling'ring, flying, 
Oh, the pain, the bliss of dying ! 
Cease, fond nature, cease thy strife, 
And let me languish into life ! 

2. Hark ! they whisper — angels say, 
" Sister spirit, come away ?" 
What is this absorbs me quite ? 
Steals my senses, shuts my sight, 



154: THIRD BOOK 01 

Drowns my spirits, draws my breath % 
Tell me, my soul, can this be death % 

3. The world recedes, it disappears ! 
Heaven opens to my eyes ! — my ears 

"With sounds seraphic ring : 
Lend, lend your wings ! I mount, I fly ! 
O Grave ! where is thy victory ? 

O Death ! where is thy sting ? 



Pope. 



LESSON XXL 

HYMN TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN. 

1. Ave Maria ! maiden mild ! 

Listen to a maiden's prayer ; 
Thou canst hear, though from the wild ; 

Thou canst save amid despair. 
Safe may we sleep beneath thy care, 

Though banish'd, outcast, and reviled — 
Maiden ! hear a maiden's prayer ; 

Mother, hear a suppliant child ! 

Ave Maria ! 

2. Ave Maria ! undefiled ! 

The flinty couch we now must share, 
Shall seem with down of eider piled, 

If thy protection hover there. 
The murky cavern's heavy air 

Shall breathe of balm, if thou hast smiled ; 
Then, Maiden ! hear a maiden's prayer, 

Mother, list a suppliant child. 

Ave Maria ! 



READING LESSONS. 155 

Ave Maria ! stainless styled ! 

Foul demons of the earth and air, 
From this their wonted haunt exiled, 

Shall flee before thy presence fair. 
We bow us to our lot of care, 

Beneath thy guidance reconciled ; 
Hear for a maid a maiden's prayer, 

And for a father hear a child ! 

Ave Maria ! 

Scott. 



§ 4, LESSON L 

OF THE EARTH. 

Glob'ular, a., round, spherical. I. and S. globoso, from glolkis, L., a 
round body, a ball. 

Ax'is, n., that round which anything turns or revolves : an imaginary 
line passing through the centre of the earth, from north to south, 
the extreme points of which are called the poles. L. axis, from 
axon, G n and this from agein, to drive round. 

Circumference, ft., an orb, a circle .: the greatest measure of the 
earth round on its surface. F. cir conference, from circumfcro, L., 
I bear or carry round, — circum, and fero, from phero, G., 1 bear or 
carry. 

Geog'raphy, n n a description of the earth, or of parts of the earth. 
F. geographic ; L. and G. geograpkia, — (G.) ge } the earth, and gra- 
phein, to describe. 

Equa'tor, n., a great circle. See p. 89. Diameter, p. 65. Tropics, 
see " Tropical," p. 26. 

Eclip'tic, ?i., the line which the centre of the earth describes in its 
annual revolution about the sun, and which corresponds with the 
path in which the sun appears to pass in the heavens. F. eclip- 
tique, from leipo, G., I leave or quit. 

Merid'ian, n., a great circle passing through the poles and the zenith 
of any place, exactly dividing the east from the west. F. meri~ 
dien; L. meridianus, from meridies, that is, medi-dies, mid-day, be- 
cause when the sun comes over the meridian of any place, it is 
then noon or mid-day. 

Par'allels of Lat'itude, n., small circles drawn round the globe par- 
allel to the equator, from which latitude is reckoned. F. par al- 
lele ; G. parallelos. See " Unparalleled," p. 48, and " Latitude," 
p. 30 



156 THIRD BOOK OF 

Zone, n., a girdle : the wide space lying between the tropics — like a 
girdle surrounding the globe — is called the torrid zone ; those be- 
tween the tropics and the arctic and antarctic circle are called the 
north and south temperate ; and those extending to the polar cir- 
cles, the north and south frigid zones. F. zone ; G. zone, from zon- 
nuein, to gird. 

Hemisphere, n., half of a sphere or globe. F. hemisphere, from (G.) 
hemisus, half, and sphaira, a sphere. 

1. The form of the earth is nearly globular or 
spherical, Being somewhat compressed at each ex- 
tremity of the axis, its diameter, from north to south, 
is about 26 miles less than that from east to west. 
The mean diameter is computed at 7,912, and its cir- 
cumference at 24,856 miles English ; and the area of 
the earth's entire surface at 198,000,000 square miles. 
Of this area, more than two-thirds are covered with 
water ; the remainder is the land. For greater ac- 
curacy of description, writers on geography suppose 
circles to be drawn on the surface of the earth, dis- 
tinguishing them into great and small circles. The 
great circles are the equator, ecliptic, and meridians ; 
the small circles, the parallels of latitude, four of 
which form the boundaries of the zones ; namely, the 
two tropics, and the two polar circles. 

2. That part of the earth's surface called the land, 
is divided into two great continents, the eastern and 
western, situated principally in opposite hemispheres. 
The eastern continent is 31 millions of square miles 
in extent, and is said to contain about 800 millions 
of inhabitants. It comprises Europe, Asia, and Af- 
rica, and is called the Old World. The western 
continent contains 17 millions of square miles, and a 
population of about 47 millions. It is divided into 
North and South America, and, because discovered 
at a comparatively late period, is called the New 
World. To these grand divisions another has been 
added, called Oceanica, consisting of the numerous 



READING LESSONS. 157 

islands scattered over the great ocean, which extends 
from the south-eastern shores of Asia, to the western 
coast of America. Its extent may be estimated at 
about 8 millions of square miles, and its inhabitants 
at 20 millions. 

3. The water is divided into five great oceans ; 
the Pacific, Atlantic, Northern, Southern, and Indian. 
The Atlantic bounds Europe and Africa on the west, 
and North and South America on the east. The Pa- 
cific divides Asia from America. The Indian lies 
south of Asia, and east of Africa, and extends to 
about forty degrees south latitude. The Northern 
Ocean bounds Europe, Asia, and North America on 
the north. The Southern extends round the South 
Pole, and unites with the Indian, Atlantic, and Pa- 
cific Oceans. These five oceans, with their numer- 
ous branches which form the inland seas, occupy at 
least 142 millions of square miles. The remaining 
56 millions form the five portions of land already 
mentioned, of which Europe contains four; Asia, 
sixteen ; Africa, eleven ; America, seventeen ; and 
Oceanica, eight millions. The whole population of 
the earth is variously stated. The most recent esti- 
mates, however, compute ijb at about 900 millions. 

0. B. 



LESSON II. 



THE REIN-DEER. 



Po'lar, a., lying near the (N.) pole. F. polaire, from polos, Q-., a 
hinge, an axis, — the extremity of the earth's axis. 

Re'gion, n., a tract or territory ruled over ; a district. F. and S. 
region from rego, L., I rule. 

14 



158 THIRD BOOK OF 

Dreary (dree'-), a., gloomy, dismal. A.S. dreory. probably from 

hreowan, to rue. 
Deer, »., a name applied to a species of beast or animal hunted for 

its flesh. D. dier ; A.S. deor, — wild deer, any kind of wild beast, 

— from ther, G., a beast. 
Venison (ven'-zn), n., game : the flesh of the deer, wild boar, or other 

beast of the chase, whose flesh is eatable. F. venaison, from vefior, 

L., I hunt. 
Browse, v., to eat, to feed upon. F. brouser, to feed on leaves and 

buds, from brosse, a bush : — or from broskein, G., to feed. 
Emergency or Emer'gence, n., pressing casualty ; an unforeseen 

event. I. emergenza, from (L.) emergo, — e, and mergo, I rise, I rush. 
Astron'omer, n. f he that studies the celestial bodies ; one skilled in 

astronomy. F. astronome, from astron, G., a star, and nomos, a law. 
Tran'sit, n., in astronomy, the passing of any planet just by or under 

any other planet or fixed star. I. transito, from transitus, L., a 

passing. 
Ten'dons, n., sinews by which the joints are moved. F. and S. ten- 
don, from tendo } L., — from teino, G., I stretch. 

1. The rein-deer is a native of the polar regions ; 
another of the many forcible examples of the insep- 
arable connexion of animals with the wants of hu- 
man society, and of the goodness of God, in providing 
for his creatures. The rein-deer has been domesti- 
cated by the Laplanders from the earliest ages ; and 
has alone rendered the dreary regions in which this 
portion of mankind abides, at all supportable. The 
civilisation of those extreme northern regions entirely 
depends upon the rein-deer. A traveller going from 
Norway to Sweden, may proceed with ease and safe- 
ty even beyond the polar circle ; but when he enters 
Finmark, he cannot stir without the rein-deer. The 
rein-deer alone connects two extremities of the king- 
dom, and causes knowledge and civilisation to be 
extended over countries, which, during a great part 
of the year, are cut off from all communication with 
the other portions of mankind. 

2. As camels are the chief possession of an Arab, 
so the rein-deer comprise all the wealth of a Lap- 
lander. The number of deer belonging to a herd is 
ordinarily from three hundred to five hundred ; with 



REABIKG LESSONS. 159 

these a Laplander can do well, and live in tolerable 
comfort. He can make in summer a sufficient quan- 
tity of cheese for the year's consumption ; and during 
the winter season, can aiford to kill deer enough to 
supply him and his family pretty constantly with 
venison. "With two hundred deer, a man, if his fam- 
ily is small, can manage to get on. If he has but 
one hundred, his subsistence is very precarious, as he 
cannot rely entirely upon them for support. Should 
he have but fifty, he is no longer independent, nor 
able to keep a separate establishment. 

3. As the winter approaches, the coat of the rein- 
deer begins to thicken in the most remarkable man- 
ner, and assumes that colour which is the great pecu- 
liarity of polar quadrupeds. During the summer, 
this animal pastures upon green herbage, and browses 
upon the shrubs which he finds in his march ; but in 
winter, his sole food is the lichen or moss, which he 
instinctively discovers under the snow. 

4. Harnessed to a sledge, the rein-deer will draw 
about three hundred pounds, though the Laplanders 
generally limit their burdens to two hundred and 
forty pounds. The trot of the rein-deer is about ten 
miles an hour, and their power of endurance is such, 
that journeys of one hundred and fifty miles, in nine- 
teen hours, are not uncommon. There is a portrait 
of a rein-deer, in one of the palaces of Sweden, which 
is said to have drawn, upon an occasion of emergen- 
cy, an officer, with important despatches, the incred- 
ible distance of eight hundred English miles, in 
forty-eight hours. Pictet, a French astronomer, w^ho 
visited the northern parts of Lapland in 1769, for 
the purpose of observing the transit of Venus, started 
three rein-deer in light sledges for a short distance, 



160 THIRD BOOK OF 

which he actually measured, in order to know their 
speed, and the following was the result : the first 
deer performed three thousand and eighty-nine feet 
in two minutes, being at the rate of nearly nineteen 
English miles in an hour ; the second did the same 
in three minutes ; and the third in three minutes and 
twenty-six seconds : the ground chosen for the race 
was nearly level. 

5. The rein-deer requires considerable training to 
prepare him for sledge travelling, and he always de- 
mands an experienced driver. Sometimes, when the 
animal is ill broken, and the driver inexpert, the deer 
turns round, and rids himself of his burden by the 
most furious assaults ; but such instances of resist- 
ance are exceptions. He is ordinarily so docile, that 
he scarcely needs any direction, and so persevering, 
that he toils on, hour after hour, without any refresh- 
ment, except a mouthful of snow, which he hastily 
snatches. To the Laplanders, this animal is a sub- 
stitute for the horse, the cow, the sheep, and the goat ; 
the milk affords them cheese ; the flesh, food ; the 
skin, clothing ; the horns, glue ; the bones, spoons ; 
the tendons, bow-strings, and when split, thread. A 
rich Laplander has sometimes more than a thousand 
rein-deer. 

Library of Entertaining Knowledge. 



LESSON III. 

VIRTUES OF THE EARLY CHRISTIANS. 

Char'ity, n., love founded on supernatural motives : " the greatest" 
of the divine virtues ; it consists in the love of God above all, and 
the love of the neighbour, that is, of all mankind, for His sake. 



READING LESSONS. 161 

F. charite ; L. caritas, or charitas, from earns, precious, beloved, — 

or from charis, G., grace, love. 
Consolation, n., comfort. F. consolation, from (L.) consolor, — con, 

and solor, I comfort, I relieve. 
Spiritual, a., intellectual ; relating to heavenly things. F. spiritual, 

from spiro, L., I breathe. 
Replenished, v., filled. F. rempli, from plenus, L., and this from 

pleos, G., full. 
Fer'vent, a., glowing, ardent. F. fervent, from ferveo, L., I am warm. 
So'cial (-she-al), a., relating to the general or public interest. F. 

and S. sociable, from socius, L., a companion. 
Frater'nal, a., of or pertaining to brothers or brethren ; also, as in 

this place, to those joined as brethren. Y.fraternel, from f rater, 

L., a brother. 
Imbi'bed, pt, sucked or drawn in:— in this place, admitted into the 

mind. F. imbibe, from (L.) imbibo, — im, and bibo, I drink. 
Sublime', a., exalted ; high in excellence. F. sublime ; L. sublimis 

— of doubtful origin. 
Evangel'ical, a., relating to the Gospel. F. evangelique, from (G.) 

eu, or ev, good, and aggelein, to announce tidings. 

1. In the practice of religion nothing can appear 
more charming than the picture drawn by St. Luke, 
of the infant Church, in his Acts of the Apostles. He 
assures us, that the vast numbers who believed in 
Jesus Christ, had but one heart and one soul. All 
being animated with the same spirit, they were united 
in the same bonds of perfect charity. No* one ap- 
propriated the least thing to himself, exclusive of his 
neighbour ; for all things were common amongst 
them. They who sold their lands or houses, brought 
the money to the Apostles for the public use, that 
each one might be relieved according to his wants. 
Each person's wants were no sooner known, than 
charitably supplied. The consolation of the Holy 
Ghost dwelt amongst them ; their placid looks indi- 
cated the spiritual sweetness that replenished their 
souls. Their fervent piety embraced every kind of 
public virtue in an eminent degree. Their hospi- 
tality, their attention to the social duties of fraternal 
charity, their daily presence in the temple at the 
stated hours, their devout behaviour during the 

14* 



162 THIBD BOOK OF 

solemn service of religion, drew respect from all 
who beheld them. 

2. Such is the character St. Luke has given us of 
the first Christians of Jerusalem. The virtues of the 
converted Gentiles were not less solid, as we gather 
from the epistles of St. Paul, though, upon the whole, 
perhaps, not so sublime. Before the Apostles came 
amongst them, the Gentiles had imbibed no princi- 
ple of true religion, and had seen no exercise of that 
pure worship, by which the sovereign Lord of all 
things is duly honoured in spirit and in truth. Be- 
wildered in the labyrinth of infidelity, they were not 
only destitute of real virtue, but deeply tainted with 
almost every vice incident to corrupt nature. But, 
no sooner were they instructed in the principles of 
Christianity, and cleansed from sin in the waters of 
baptism, than they became the faithful imitators of 
their evangelical teachers. A total change of prin- 
ciples and manners made them objects of admira- 
tion to the former companions of their irregularities. 
Prayer was the occupation of their leisure-hours, and 
a sincere desire of doing the will of God in all things, 
sanctified their most ordinary actions of the day. 

3. Tertullian speaks of the pious custom they had 
of making the sign of the cross on every occasion, as 
a mark of their lively faith and confidence in the 
merits of their crucified Redeemer. Hence, in the 
midst of temporal concerns they never lost sight of 
eternal goods ; while their hands were at work, their 
hearts aspired to heaven. The prospect of an ever- 
lasting reward, which they knew God had prepared 
for them in his kingdom of glory, quickened their 
diligence in the discharge of every social *and reli- 
gious duty. Which of the two are we to admire most, 



READING LESSONS. 163 

the bounteous liberality of God in communicating his 
graces to those fervent Christians, or the fidelity of 
those Christians in thus co-operating with the divine 
gifts ? To our humble admiration of the first, let us 
join our imitation of the second ; we then shall pay 
honour to them both. 

Reeve. 



LESSON IV. 



THE FLOWER EVERLASTING. 

Em'blem, n. (in this place), a figure or type : an allusive picture or 
representation expressing some particular idea ; an inlaid device 
or motto, or a something added to, or thrown in, by way of orna- 
ment. F. embleme. I. S. L. and G. emblema, from (G.) emballo, — 
em, and hallo, I throw. 

Gos'pel, n., a joyful message, good tidings ; (here) the sacred book 
of the Christian revelation : — the term is specially applied to each 
of the first four books of the New Testament penned by the Evan- 
gelists. A.S. Godspell, — god, good, and spell, a narrative, news, 
tidings. 

Sta'tion, n., situation or employment; office or rank. F. station, 
from (L.) siatum, p. pt. of stare, to stand. 

Glad'ness, n., cheerfulness ; an inferior degree of joy, not amounting 
to exultation : from A.S. gleed, glad (Icetus, L. — joyful), from 
gladian, to make cheerful, to gladden. 

Sacrifice (sak'-kre-fize), n., an oblation or offering of devotion — an 
external or outward act of religious worship, which can be given 
to none but to God alone. F. sacrifice ; L. sacrifico (v.) — sacrum 
facere, to make or render holy or sacred (by slaughter, oblation, <fcc). 

Indifferent, a., careless, uninterested. F. indifferent; from differ o, 
L., I bear away, I differ. 

Flower (flou'-ur), n., the part of a plant which contains the seeds ; 
the blossom of a plant. F.fieur; L. fios—fioris, from (G.) chiloos, 
verdure. 

Worldling (wurld'-ling), n., one who regulates his life by worldly 
or human maxims, which are directly contrary to those of the Gos- 
pel : — a man of the world {woruld, A.S.) 

Rationally (rash'-), ad., in a reasonable manner. L. rationaliter, 
from ratio, reason. 

Fidel'ity, n., faithful adherence to, or discharge of an obligation. F. 
fidelite, from fido, L., I trust. 

1. " It seems to live, but it is dead." It is an 
emblem of the perfect Christian, who lives in the 



164 THIRD BOOK OF 

world, but does not forget the Gospel of Christ. He 
discharges the business of his station for God's sake 
with fidelity and exactness. He even excels the 
worldling in industry, and in application to his pro- 
fessional employments. Like the early converts de- 
scribed in the Acts of the Apostles, he takes his food 
and drink " with gladness and simplicity of heart." 
His countenance is always pleasant and agreeable, 
nor does it lose this character, even when zeal kindles 
on his features, or devotion burns in his eyes. When 
he is occupied in his profession, his heart often looks 
heavenward, and says to God, " I do this for thee." 
When he eats and drinks, he does the same; when 
he toils, he does the same ; and when he rests, he 
rests for God. Recreation, as well as labour, is with 
him a sacrifice. Nothing that falls within the circle 
of his duty is too high, or too low, to be referred to 
God. The round of his external occupations is often 
almost the same as that of a man of the world : it is 
the " hidden sanctity" that makes all the distinction 
in merit. It is the difference of motive that saves 
the one and damns the other. 

2. To an indifferent eye it might appear that the 
true Christian often shares as largely in the things of 
earth, as the worldling who seldom or never thinks 
of heaven. The latter sees him labour diligently, 
converse freely and rationally, take his meals cheer- 
fully, unbend his strength in agreeable recreation, 
go quietly to rest at night, and mingle rationally in 
the amusements of society. " I am as good as he," 
exclaims the worldling, " for I do as he does." Ah 
no ! — The flower before me seems the same as when 
it grew upon the tree in summer ; it has the hue, 
the smell, and in everything the likeness of a living 
flower. 



READING LESSONS. 165 

3. Such seems the Christian life in the eye of the 
worldling ; but such it is not within. He " seems to 
live, but he is dead." 

G. Griffin. 



LESSON Y. 

DEVOTION. A VISION. 

1. Methought I roved on shining walks, 

'Mid odorous groves and wreathed bowers, 
Where, trembling on their tender stalks, 

Fresh opening bloom'd the early flowers ; 
Thick hung the fruit on ev'ry bough, 

In ripe profusion clustering mellow 
While o'er the peak'd horizon's brow 

The evening ray fell slant and yellow. 

2. Slow pacing through the fragrant shade, 

With calm majestic mien advancing, 
O'erawed, I saw a queenly maid, 

With piercing eyes divinely glancing; 
Deep wonder chain'd my rev'rent tongue, 

My frame was bent with greeting lowly, 
While silence o'er the garden hung, 

As if the ground she trod was holy. 

3. "And who art thou," with eager tone, 

I cried aloud, " whose presence thrilling, 
Though lately seen, and yet unknown, 

Can reach the inmost springs of feeling ? 
And oh ! what sweet secluded scene, 

Here shines in rural beauty splendid, 
Where summer bloom and vernal green 

With ripe autumnal wealth are blended !" 



166 THIRD BOOK OF 

4. With smiles that broke as sunshine bright, 

Their lustre to my soul imparting, 
And tones that sent a pure delight, 

Delicious through my bosom darting, 
" Devotion is my name," she said, 

" And thine are those delicious bowers, 
From purest fountains ever fed, 

And bright with undecaying flowers. 

5. "In this sweet haunt, thy blissful life 

Shall glide, like meadow-streamlet flowing, 
Unreached by sounds of demon strife, 

Unknown to passion and unknowing ; 
For thee the fragrant airs shall rise, 

For thee shall bloom those opening roses ; 
Till far beyond yon trembling skies, 

Thy heart in endless peace reposes. 

6. " Yes— thine shall be this calm retreat 

Of summer bloom and peaceful beauty, 
If thou observe, with prudence meet, 

And watchful care, one easy duty ; 
? Tis but to tend yon golden lamp, 

With faithful hand and spirit heeding, 
From wasting airs and vapours damp, 

Its pointed flame attentive feeding. 

Y. " While heav'nward thus attending bright, 

In holy lustre still increasing, 
Thou keep'st that pure unearthly light, 

With vestal heed and care unceasing; 
Sweet peace of heart shall haunt thy bow'r, 

And safety watch unceasing near thee ; 
And happy in thy parting hour, 

Celestial truth shall stop to cheer thee. 



KEADING LESSONS. 167 

8. "But if the faithless thirst of change, 

Or slow consuming sloth should move thee, 
Then dread those countless foes that range, 

Terrific in the air above thee. 
They cannot pierce this radiant sphere, 

While faithful hands that flame shall cherish, 
But wo to thee, if^lumb'ring here, 

Thou leave its saving light to perish." 

9. Upward I look'd, with shuddering awe, 

And in the growing gloom that bound us, 
Full many a dismal shape I saw, 

Slow winging in the air around us : 
Grim-visaged death, and fierce despair, 

Hard unbelief, with aspect sneering ; 
And ruin, with affrighted stare, 

Disastrous through the mist appearing. 

10. Heart-stricken at the direful sight, 

Awhile I stood appalPd in spirit, 
But cheer'd by that celestial light, 

I took my lonely station near it : 
Dissolving on the fragrant air, 

No more I saw that form before me, 
But by the sweetness breathing there, 

I felt her influence still was o'er me. 

11. Awhile I kept, with watchful heed, 

My task of duty and of pleasure ; 
Exact, at noon and eve, to feed 

That holy flame, with ample measure ; 
Those smiling walks, and various flowers, 

Each day I hail'd with bosom fonder, 
Nor e'er beyond those happy bowers, 

Indulged the idle thought to wander. 

G. Griffin. 



168 THIRD BOOK OF 



THE BANYAN TEEE. 



They tell us of an Indian tree, 

Which, howsoe'er the sun and sky- 
May tempt its boughs to wander free, 

And shoot and blossom wide and high ; 
Far better loves to bend its arms 

Downward again to that dear earth, 
From which the life that fills and warms 

Its grateful being, first had birth. 
5 Tis thus, though wooed by flattering friends, 

And fed with fame, — if fame it be ; 
This heart, my own dear mother, tends 

With love's true instinct back to thee ! 

Moore. 



LESSON VI. 

ON light. 

Phenom'ena, n., visible qualities or appearances, generally applied to 

strange appearances. See " Phenomenon," p. 30. 
Vision (vizh'-), n., sight ; the faculty of seeing. F. and S. vision, 

from video, L., I see. 
Science (si'-ense), n., the knowledge of general, theoretic principles 

or laws. Science is knowledge ; art is skill in the use of it. F. 

science, from (L.) sciens, p. pt. of scire, to know. 
Di'amond, n., the hardest and most precious of all the gems. F. and 

D. diamant ; L. and G. adamas, adamant or precious stone, from 

(G.) a, not, and damao, I break, I tame. 
Me'dium, n., a mean ; anything intervening. L. medium, from medius, 

from mesos, G., middle. 
Omnipres'ent, a., present everywhere. L. omniprasens, — omnis, all 

or every, and prcesens, present, being before. 
Min'iature, n., a representation on a small scale : — small paintings 

were styled miniatures, because objects were delineated upon 

them on a small scale, that is, less than the reality ; hence the 

term came to be applied to anything small. F. miniature; I. 

miniatura, a small painting, always done in water-colours, — from 



READING LESSONS. 169 

miniare, L., to paint in vermilion, and this from minium, red 
earth. 

Mi'ciioscope, n., a magnifying instrument used for viewing very mi- 
nute objects. F. microscope, from mikros, G., small, and skopeo, I see. 

Tel'egraph (-graf), n., an instrument by which signals are communi- 
cated to persons at a distance. I. telegrafo, from ( G.) tele, afar, — 
or telos, the end, because the end of writing is attained by signals, 
— and grapho, I write. 

Op 'tic, a., pertaining or conducing to sight or vision ; visual. F. op* 
tique. from optomai, G., I see. 

The phenomena of light and vision have always 
been held to constitute a most interesting branch of 
natural science, whether in regard to the beauty of 
light, or its utility. The beauty is seen spread over 
a varied landscape — among the beds of the flower- 
gardens, on the spangled meads, in the plumage of 
birds, in the clouds around the rising and setting 
sun, in the circles of the rainbow. And the utility 
may be judged of by the reflection, that if man had 
been compelled to supply his wants by groping in 
utter and unchangeable darkness, he could scarcely 
have secured his subsistence for a single day. Light, 
then, while the beauteous garb of nature, clothing 
the garden and the meadow, — glowing in the ruby, 
— sparkling in the diamond, — is also the absolutely 
necessary medium of communication between living 
creatures and the universe around thern. The rising 
sun is what converts the wilderness of darkness which 
night covered, and which, to the young mind not yet 
aware of the regularity of nature's changes, is so full 
of horror, into a visible and lovely paradise. — When 
a mariner, who has been toiling in midnight gloom 
and tempest, at last perceives the dawn of day, or 
even the rising of the moon, the waves seem to him 
less lofty, the wind is only half as fierce, and hope 
and gladness beam on him with the light of heaven. 
;A man, wherever placed in light, receives by the 
eye from every object around, nay, from every point 

15 



170 THIRD BOOK OF 

in every object, and at every moment of time, a 
messenger of light, to tell him what is there, and in 
what condition. Were he omnipresent, or had he 
the power of flitting from place to place with the 
speed of the wind, he could scarcely be more prompt- 
ly informed. Then, in many cases, where distance 
intervenes not, light can impart knowledge, which, 
by any other conceivable means, could come only 
tediously or not at all. For example, when the il- 
luminated countenance is revealing the secret work- 
ings of the heart, the tongue would in vain try to 
speak, even in long phrases, what one smile of 
friendship or affection can in an instant convey: 
and had there been no light, man never could have 
suspected the existence of the miniature worlds of 
life and activity, which, even in a drop of water, the 
microscope discovers to him ; nor could he have 
formed any idea of the admirable structure of many 
minute objects. It is to that light, again, we owe 
the telegraph, by which men readily converse from 
hill to hill, or across an extent of raging sea ; and it 
is light which, pouring upon the eye through the 
optic tube, brings intelligence of events passing in 
the remotest regions of space. 

Arnott. 



LESSON VII. 

THE COLOSSUS AT RHODES. 



En'gine, n., an instrument of war (as in this place) : any instrument 
ingeniously wrought or contrived. F. engin, from (L.) ingenium — 
ingenuity, from gigno, I beget. 

Statue (stat'-), n., an image or figure made to the height or stature 
of any one standing ; when greater it was called a colossus, in L., 



READING LESSONS. 171 

and kolossos, in G. — F. statue ; I. and L, statua, traced to stare, to 
stand. 

Cu'bit, n., a measure of a foot and a half: — a measure among the 
ancients, which was originally the distance from the elbow, bend- 
ing inwards, to the extremity of the middle finger : — the curvature 
of the arm. L. cubitus ; G. kubiton, from kuptein, to bend. 

Ar'senal, n., a repository of things requisite for war ; a storehouse 
or armory ; a magazine. F. arsenal ; I. arsenate — of doubtful ex- 
traction. 

Ha'ven, n., a harbour or port: — that which holds or contains. D. 
haven; F. havre ; A.S. hmfan, from habban, to have. 

Bra'zen, a., made of brass : from Ger. brasen, to burn or give a burnt 
or brown colour. A.S. brces, brass, whence, probably, F. bronze. 

Prodigious (pro-did'-jus), a., enormous, monstrous, strange. L. pro- 
digiosus, from prodigium, a prodigy, or from prodigo, I drive forth — 
because what is monstrous or excessive should be banished or 
driven away ; pro, and ago, I drive. 

Merchant, n., a trafficker ; one who traffics to foreign countries. F. 
marchand, from (L.) merx — mercis, merchandize. 

Quin'tal, n , a hundred weight : — a quint was so called, because di- 
vided into five equal parts of twenty each. F. and S. quintal : 
of uncertain etymology. 

Diminution, n., the state of growing less. F. diminution, from mi- 
nor, L., less. 

1. Demetrius, on his reconciliation with the Rho- 
dians, was desirous, before his departure, to give 
them a testimonial of his friendly disposition ; he 
accordingly presented them with all the engines of 
war that he had employed in thg siege. These they 
afterwards sold for three hundred talents, equal in 
value to three hundred thousand crowns, which they ' 
employed, with an additional sum of their own, in 
making their famous Colossus (a.m. 3708), which 
was reputed one of the seven wonders of the world. 
It was a statue of so stupendous a size, that ships in 
full sail passed under its legs ; the height of it was 
seventy cubits, or one hundred and five feet, and few 
men could clasp their arms around its thumb. It 
was the work of Chares of Lindus, and employed 
him for ftie space of twelve years. 

2. In the year of the world, 3782, Khodes suffered 
very considerable damages from a great earthquake. 



172 THIRD BOOK OF 

The walls of the city, together with the arsenals, and 
the narrow passes in the haven, where the ships of 
that island were laid up, were reduced to a very ru- 
inous condition; and the famous Colossus, which 
passed for one of the wonders of the world, was, 
sixty-six years after its erection, thrown down and 
entirely destroyed. 

3. This Colossus was, as I have observed, a brazen 
statue of a prodigious size ; and some authors have 
affirmed, that the money arising from contributions 
for its re-erection, amounted to five times as much 
as the loss which the Ehodians had sustained. This 
people, instead of employing the sums they had re- 
ceived in replacing that statue, agreeably to the in- 
tention of the donors, pretended that the oracle of 
Delphi had prohibited them from the attempt, and 
given them a command to preserve the money for 
other purposes, by which means they afterwards en- 
riched themselves. 

4. The Colossus lay neglected on the ground for 
the space of eight hundred and ninety -four years, at 
the expiration of which (a.d. 672), Moawias, the 
sixth emperor of the Saracens, made himself master 
of Ehodes, apd sold this statue to a Jewish merchant, 
who loaded nine hundred camels with the metal, 
which, computed at eight quintals for each load, 
after a deduction of the diminution the statue had 
sustained by rust and other casualties, amounted to 
more than thirty-six thousand pounds sterling. 

Rollin. 



READING LESSONS. 173 

LESSON YHL 

EUROPE. 

Ire'land, a beautiful and fertile island in the Atlantic Ocean, nearly 
32,000 square miles in area, and possessing a population of 84 mil- 
lions. Ancient names — Juverna, Hibernia, Scoti. 

England, the southern part of Great Britain, an island east of Ire- 
land, in area 58,000 sq. m. — pop. 16 mill, nearly, being 270 inhab- 
itants to the sq. m. A.N. Albion. See "Britannia," p. 116. 

Scot'land, the part of G. Britain N. of the Tweed : its area wants 
only 2,000 sq. m. of that of Ireland, but its pop. is 5^ mill. less. 
A.N. Caledonia. 

France, a rich and important kingdom, N.W. of the continent of Eu- 
rope, and in the middle of the temperate zone. Area, 204,000 sq. 
m., and pop. 33^ mill., being 84,000 sq. m. in area, and 7J mill, in 
pop. over those respectively of G. Britain and Ireland taken to- 
gether. A.N. Gallia or Gaul, which comprised not only France, 
but also Belgium, Helvetia, or Switzerland (ar. 15,250 sq. m., 
pop. 2 mill), and a part of Germany. It was called Gallia Trans- 
alpina — beyond, or N. of, the Alps — by the Romans, to distinguish 
it from Gallia Cisalpina, — N. Italy, S. of the Alps. 

Spain, a fine country, S.W. of France : Spain does not differ much 
in size from France, but its pop. is 19^ mill, less than that of the 
latter. A.N. Iberia : Hispania comprehended the entire pe- 
ninsula. 

Por'tugal, an independent kingdom, forming the western boundary 
of Spain, a little larger than Ireland, but with less than half its 
pop. A.N. Lusitania. See p. 54. 

Netherlands, two distinct kingdoms — one N. of France, called the 
Belgic or Southern Netherlands, one-third the area of Portugal, 
with same pop. : — the other N. of the former, called Holland (A.N. 
Batavia), and of nearly the same extent ; pop. 3 mill. A.N. Gallia 
Belgica, or Belgium. 

Ger'many, a large portion of Central Europe, divided into States — 
1-| times as large as Spain, with nearly 3 times its pop. A.N. 
Germania, which contained the country between the Danube, S., 
and the Baltic, N. ; the Vistula, E., and the Rhine, W. 

Den'mark, a kingdom N. of Holland, ar. 22,000 sq. m., and pop. 2 
mill. A.N. Chersonesus Cimbrica. Nor'way, Swe'den (together, 
290,000 sq. m., pop. 3 J mill.), Lapland, and Finland, with Denmark, 
formed the ancient Scandinavia. 

Rus'sia, an empire N. and N.E. of Europe, and nearly half its entire 
area, with one-fifth of its pop. — comprised with Po'land (formerly 
300,000 sq. m., pop. 15 mill.), and part of Prus'sia (now 106,500 
sq. m., pop. 14 mill.), the ancient Sarmatia Europcea. 

It'aly, a peninsula S. of the Alps, the most celebrated country of 
Europe : ar. 118,700 sq. m., pop. 21 mill. A.N. Italia; it was also 
called Hesperia, from its westerly situation. 

15* 



174: THIRD BOOK OF 

Aus'tria, an empire S.E. of Germany; ar. 260,000 sq. m., pop. 33J 
mill. Tur'key, S. of Austria; ar. 183,000 sq. m., pop. 9 mill.; 
Greece, S. of Turkey ; ar. (now) 18,600 sq. m, pop. 81 1,000. The 
Circle of Austria was called Noricwn. Austria includes Panno- 
nia, now Hungary ; part of Pacta, now Transylvania ; Illyricum, 
now DaJmatia ; Bosnia (part of), Croatia, and Sclavonia. Turkey 
includes part of Dacia, now Moldavia and Wallachia ; Moesia, now 
Servia and Bulgaria ; Thracia, now part of Roumelia ; Bosnia, 
part of Illyricum, together with the greater part of Gr^ecia, — 
which anciently comprised the Peloponnesus, now the Morea ; 
Grcecia Propria, or Greece ; Thessaiia ; Epirus, now Albania ; 
and Macedonia. 

1. The smallest, but by far the most important, of 
the great divisions of the earth, is Europe : it excels 
all the others in science, literature, arts, and manu- 
factures. Its length, from the North Cape, in Lap- 
land, to Cape Matapan, in Greece, is 2,400 miles ; 
and its breadth, from Cape La Hogue, in France, to 
the River Don in Russia, 2,200 miles. It is bounded 
north, by the Northern Ocean ; west, by the Atlantic 
Ocean ; south, by the Mediterranean Sea ; east, by 
the Archipelago, the Sea of Marmora, the Black 
Sea, the Sea of Azof, and Asia. The population is 
estimated at 240 millions. Europe is divided into 
the following countries : Ireland, England, Scotland, 
France, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Germany, 
Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Poland, Prus- 
sia, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Turkey, and Greece. 

2. Europe is the north-western part of the old con- 
tinent, of which it forms about one-seventh. It con- 
tains nearly four millions of square miles, being 
about one-fourth of the extent of Asia, and some- 
thing more than one-third of that of Africa; and it 
presents, in proportion to its surface, a much greater 
extent of coast than any other of the great divisions 
of the earth. This is occasioned by its numerous 
peninsulas, formed by inland seas and gulfs, which 
penetrate far into the continent, and greatly facilitate 



READING LESSONS. 175 

commercial intercourse. The length of the coast- 
line, commencing at the northern extremity of the 
Sea of Azof, and terminating at the mouth of the 
River Kara, is nearly equal to the earth's circum- 
ference. 

3. Nearly two-thirds of the surface of Europe con- 
sist of an immense plain ; the remainder is occupied 
by mountains of greater or less elevation, and these 
are principally extended along its southern and 
western shores. The plain stretches across the east- 
ern boundary, from the shores of the Black Sea to 
those of the Northern Ocean ; and, if smaller emi- 
nences be not taken into account, it may be said to 
extend from the Ural Mountains, through Russia, 
Poland, Prussia, and Holland, to the German Ocean, 
including an area of nearly three millions of square 
miles. 

4. The islands of Europe are numerous and im- 
portant. Great Britain and Ireland form the most 
powerful kingdom in the world. Iceland is full of 
interest, whether we regard its history, or its natural 
phenomena. The Balearic Islands were as famous 
in ancient, as Corsica is in modern times ; and the 
names of Sicily and Crete are closely connected with 
the histories of Greece and Rome. 

5. The climate of Europe is much more temperate 
than that of any other portion of the globe of equal 
extent. It may be divided into three zones; the 
northern, middle, and southern, the boundaries of 
which may be marked by the parallels of 46 and 58 
degrees of north latitude. In the northern zone 
there are only two seasons ; summer and winter. In 
the central or middle zone, the four seasons are dis- 
tinct ; while in the southern, vegetation is very little 



176 THIRD BOOK OF 

interrupted, frost and snow being seldom seen ex- 
cept upon the mountains. The vegetable produc- 
tions of the southern zone differ little from those of 
northern Africa and the adjacent islands. Yines, 
olives, figs, oranges, maize, and rice, are abundant ; 
and the castor-oil and cotton plants, as well as the 
sugar-cane, are, in some instances, cultivated. In 
the middle zone, all kinds of grain are produced in 
great abundance, and in many of its countries, the 
science of agriculture has attained a high degree of 
excellence. In the northern zone, agriculture has 
made little progress. Barley, oats, beans, and po- 
tatoes, are, however, cultivated ; but timber, pitch, 
tar, rosin, and alum, are the productions for which 
this zone is most remarkable. Of these, great quan- 
tities are exported. There are numerous mines of 
iron and copper, the most valuable of which are the 
iron mines of Dannemora, and the copper mines of 
Dalecarlia, in Sweden. 

6. Of the 240 millions of inhabitants which Eu- 
rope contains, about two-thirds are employed in agri- 
culture, from 15 to 20 millions in manufactures, and 
probably two millions in arms. The maintenance of 
those employed in arms requires, it is said, two-fifths 
of the entire revenue. The form of government, 
called limited monarchy, is that which prevails in 
several of the most important states, and in nearly 
all, the subject enjoys a degree of civil liberty, 
greater than that which exists in most of the other 
parts of the world. The Christian religion, under 
some one of its denominations, prevails in every part 
of Europe, not excepting Turkey, where, though the 
religion of the state is Mahometanism, nearly two- 
thirds of the inhabitants are Christians, principally 
of the Catholic and Greek Churches. The number 



READING LESSONS. 177 

of Catholics in Europe is computed at 136 millions. 
This division of the earth is also distinguished as the 
site of the chair of St. Peter, acknowledged the cen- 
tre of Christian unity, since the time of that apostle. 
Other regions are, perhaps, more favoured with the 
wealth of nature, but in none have the effects of hu- 
man intelligence, enterprise, and industry, been 
more strikingly exemplified. 

C. B. 



THE RAINBOW. 

How glorious is thy girdle cast 

O'er mountain, tower, and town, 
Or mirror'd in the ocean vast, 

A thousand fathoms down ! 

'0 

As fresh in yon horizon dark, 

As young thy beauties seem, 
As when the eagle from the ark 

First sported in thy beam. 

Campbell. 



LESSON IX. 

MODESTY AND HUMILITY. 

A'miable, «., charming, lovely. F. aimable, from amare, L., to love. 

Suggested (sug-jest'-), v., prompted or intimated : placed under view. 
F. suggere ; from (L.) suggero, — sub, and gero i I place under, put 
in mind, prompt. 

Agree'able, ck., pleasing. F. agreable, — gre t from gratus, L., grate- 
ful, acceptable. 

Impropriety, n., unfitness. F. i?trpropriete, from (L.) improprius, 
im, and proprius, proper, fit. 

Spontaneously, ad., voluntarily, freely. L. sponte, from sponde, G., 
a libation, a voluntary offerings 



178 THIED BOOK OF 

Mag'nift, v., to exaggerate. L. magnifico, — magnus, great, and facio, 

I make. 
Recess', n., a retreat, place of secrecy. L. recessus, from recedo, — re t 

and cedo, I recede, I retire. 
Adver'sity, n., a state of affliction or suffering. F. adversity from L. 

advertere, to turn to or against ; — ad and vertere — versum, to turn. 
Retribu'tion, n., return accommodated to the action ; repayment. 

F. retribution, from (L.) retribuo, — re, and tribuo, I give. 
Balsam (bawl' sum), n., an unctuous, oily mixture of soothing or 

lenifying properties. F. balsame ; G. balsamon, from Heb. bahal- 

schemen. 

1. Modesty is one of the most amiable qualities of 
a superior man : it is, in fact, observed to increase in 
proportion to his superiority, and this is well ex- 
plained by the ideas suggested by religion. Su- 
periority is nothing more than a great advancement 
in the knowledge and love of truth : the first renders 
a man humble, the second makes him modest. Take 
an example : a man fears praise and shrinks from it, 
and he does so, though praise is naturally ^agreeable 
to our nature, and there appears, at first sight, no 
impropriety in seeking occasions in which it is spon- 
taneously offered to us. His behaviour in this re- 
spect is approved by all those who prize virtue : why 
so, but because his behaviour is reasonable ? The 
modest man feels that praise reminds him only of 
the bright part of his character, which is exactly 
that part which he is most disposed to consider and 
magnify ; while he knows he ought not to look at 
one side only if he wishes to judge fairly : he feels 
that praise easily induces him to ascribe to himself 
that which is the gift of God ; to suppose in himself 
some excellence springing from his own strength, 
which would be a manifest error ; wherefore, he 
avoids it, he conceals his best actions, and preserves 
his noblest sentiments in the secret recesses of his 
own heart : he knows that whatever induces him to 
display them, is pride and a love of being observed, 



READING LESSONS. 179 

distinguished, and esteemed, not for what he is, but 
for something far superior. 

2. Modesty, then, being humility reduced to prac- 
tice, it can have no fellowship with pride ; nor can 
there be such a thing as a just pride. Pride can 
never be just, since it can never be either a support 
to human weakness, or a consolation in adversity. 
No ; these admirable fruits spring from humility 
alone ; it is humility that shields us against our 
weakness, by reminding us of its existence every 
moment ; it is humility that makes us watch and 
pray to Him who ordains and imparts virtue ; it is 
" humility that makes us lift up our eyes unto the 
hills whence cometh our help." And in adversity, 
consolations are reserved for the humble soul, that 
acknowledges herself worthy to suffer, and feels a 
sense of joy arising from submission to the Divine 
will. Looking at her faults, adversity appears like 
the retribution of a God that will pardon, and not 
like the stroke of a blind power ; she increases in 
dignity and purity, because every pain suffered with 
resignation, cancels some of the spots that rendered 
her less fair ; and what is more — she grows to love 
adversity itself, because it renders her "conformed 
to the image of the Son of God ;" and, instead of 
abandoning herself to vain and empty complaints, 
she returns thanks amid circumstances under which, 
if she were left to herself, she would utter nought but 
the lamentation of despair or the cry of revolt. But 
as for pride ; when God shall have humbled the 
proud man, as one stricken and wounded, will pride 
be any healing balsam for him ? To what can it 
serve him in the midst of adversities, but to fill him 
with hatred for them as unjust ; to excite in his 
breast a restless and painful comparison between 



180 THIBD BOOK OF 

that which he would fain persuade himself he de- 
serves, and that which it is his lot to endure ? The 
secret of the repose of man in this life, consists in 
the conformity of his will with that of God. And who 
is further removed from this blessed disposition than 
the afflicted proud man ? 

Manzoni. 



LESSON X. 

ADDRESS TO THE CUCKOO. 

1. Hail, beauteous stranger of the grove ! 

Thou messenger of spring ! 
Now heaven repairs thy rural seat, 
And woods thy welcome sing. 

2. What time the daisy decks the green, 

Thy certain voice we hear ; 
Hast thou a star to guide thy path, 
Or mark the rolling year? 

3. Delightful visitant! with thee 

I hail the time of flow'rs ; 
And hear the sound of music sweet 
From birds among the bow'rs. 

4. The school-boy, wand'ring through the wood 

To pull the primrose gay, 
Starts, the new voice of spring to hear, 
And imitates thy lay. 

5. What time the pea puts on the bloom, 

Thou fliest the vocal vale, 
An annual guest in other lands, 
Another spring to hail. 



READING LESSONS. 181 

6. Sweet bird ! thy bower is ever green ; 

Thy sky is ever clear ; 
Thou hast no sorrow in thy song, 
No winter in thy year ! 

7. Oh ! could I fly, I'd fly with thee ; 

We'd make, with joyful wing, 
Our annual visit o'er the globe, 
Companions of the spring. 

Logan. 



THE ANNUNCIATION. 

Loveliest of women, and most glorified ! 

In thy still beauty sitting calm and lone, 
A brightness round thee grew, and by thy side, 

Kindling the air, a form ethereal shone, 

Solemn, yet breathing gladness. From her throne 
A queen had risen with more imperial eye, 
A stately prophetess of victory 

From her proud lyre had struck a tempest's tone, 
For such high tidings as to thee were brought, 

Chosen of Heaven ! that hour : but thou, O thou ! 
E'en as a flower with gracious rains o'erfraught, 

Thy virgin head beneath its crown didst bow, 
And take to thy meek breast th' all Holy Word, 
And own thyself the handmaid of the Lord. 

Mrs. Hemans. 
16 



182 THIRD BOOK OF 

LESSON XL 

THE EMPEROR CONST ANTINE. 

Predilec'tion, n., partiality ; prepossession in favour of anything. 
F. predilection , from eligere, L., to elect, to choose. 

Nur'tured, v., educated, brought up. L. nutritus, bred up, nursed, 
from nutrio, I educate, I nourish. 

Divin'ity, n., divine origin (in this place) : the Deity. F. divinite, 
from divinus, L., from Divus, God, and this from dios, G., godlike. 

Resplen'dent, a., refulgent, brightly shining. L. resplendent from 
resplendere, — re, and sple?idere, to shine. 

Campaign (kam-pane'), n., the period of encampment, or that of ac- 
tive military field-service. F. campagne, from campus, L., an 
open field. 

Ecclesias'tical, a., relating to the Church (here applied to persons 
in Holy Orders). F. ecclesiastique, from ekklesia, G., an assembly, 
and this from kaleo, I call. The Athenian ekklesiai were popular 
assemblies called to consult on affairs of the commonwealth : now 
applied to the Church. 

Cel'ibacy, n., the state of being unmarried. F. celibat, from ccelebs, 
L., single, standing alone. 

Sun' day, n., the Christian Sabbath day : the day of the week conse- 
crated, in pagan times, to the sun. A.S. sicnnandceg, — the day of 
the sun. 

Metropolis, ri., the mother city ; the chief city of a country, prov- 
ince, or district. L. and G. metropolis, — (G.) mater, a mother, and 
polls, sl city. 

Hea'then, a., pagan, idolatrous, or gentile. Go. haithnai ; A.S. 
hcethne ; L. ethnicus, from ethnos, G., a nation ; applied especially 
to the ethnea, or nations not Jews. 

1. Constantlne, although nurtured in the bosom 
of paganism, had inherited the kindly disposition, 
we may perhaps call it the predilection of his father, 
Constantius, in favour of Christianity. These senti- 
ments were soon converted into a decided inclination, 
and finally, into a firm belief in the divinity of the 
same religion. The change was effected, according 
to his own declaration, which we find in Eusebius, 
by the miraculous appearance in the heavens of a 
resplendent cross, which was accompanied by a 
promise of victory. This occurred in the year 311, 
during his campaign against Maxentius. 



READING LESSONS 188 

2. In the following year, Constantine, who was 
now lord of the western division of the Eoman em- 
pire, and Licinius, who was sole ruler of the east, 
promulgated a decree, granting toleration to all re- 
ligions. This was the first imperial decree promul- 
gated in favour of the Christians ; in 313 it was 
followed by the edict of Milan, which secured to the 
Christians in particular, the free exercise of their 
religion. A series of laws, during the following 
year, bestowed upon them many and great advan- 
tages. Constantine freed all ecclesiastical persons 
from the burden of the public offices of the state, and 
from the payment of all personal taxes ; he confirmed 
the judicial authority of the bishops ; abolished the 
laws against those who lived in celibacy ; permitted 
churches to receive presents and legacies ; enforced 
the observance of the Sunday ; maintained many 
churches and ecclesiastics ; and erected many tem- 
ples to the honour of the true God. But, in the 
mean time, Licinius, who beheld in Constantine a 
rival, and an abettor of the Christians, persecuted 
the faithful in his own dominions. The war, which 
in 323 broke out between the two emperors, was, in 
reality, a religious war. Licinius fell in the contest, 
and with him fell paganism. 

3. The conqueror, under whose sway the whole 
empire of Rome now lay united, declared himself, in 
the most unequivocal manner, a professor of the 
Christian religion ; and expressed his desire and his 
hope, that all his subjects would imitate his example. 
He caused his sons to be educated as Christians, and 
placed Christians in the most important offices of the 
state. To the ancient capital of the dominions of 
heathen Home, he opposed a Christian metropolis at 

1 1 Byzantium, now called from him, Constantinople. 



1 



184 THIRD BOOK OF 

He ceased not in his attacks upon paganism, which 
he even designated as a superstition of by-gone times. 
He commanded the heathen temples, in many places, 
to be closed, or to be converted into churches ; 
in other cities they were destroyed, and the idols of 
the gods broken into pieces, or removed. He em- 
ployed every means within his power to induce the 
idolaters to embrace the new faith ; and it appears, 
that towards the close of his reign, he published a 
universal prohibition, which forbade the public wor- 
ship of the gods ; the law, however, was never en- 
forced. 

DoLLINGER. 



LESSON XII. 

THE HABITATION OF BEES. 

Appellation, n., name. F. appellation, from appello, L., I appeal, 
I call. 

Asso'ciate, v., to join, to combine. L. associate, — ad, and sociare, to 
join : socius, sl companion. 

Prominences, n., parts projecting, hanging, or standing out from. 
F. prominences, from (L.) promineo, — pro, and mineo, I hang or 
st:ind from or over. 

Structure, n., form, make. F. structure, from struere, L., to build. 

Cells, n., secret or retired places of abode. L. cellos, probably from 
celo, I conceal. 

Metamor'phoses, n., changes in shape or form. L. metamorphoses, 
from (G.) meta, instead of, and morphe, shape. 

Dexter'ity, n., skill, readiness of contrivance. F. dexterite, from dex- 
ter, L., the right hand (the right being the hand by which, gener- 
ally, what is skilful in manual operations is performed), and this 
from dechomai, G., 1 take hold. 

Equivalent, n., a thing or substance of the same utility. F. Equi- 
valent, — i. e., azque valens (L.), equally efficacious : — valere t to be of 
force or power, to prevail. 

Vis'cid, a., tenacious, sticking like glue. F. viscide, from viscum, L., 
the mHetoe, the berry of which is glutinous. 

Dimensions, n., size, bulk, or extent. F. and S. dimensions, from 
(L.) dimetire, — rnensus, to measure 



READING LESSONS. 185 

For " Species," see p. 22 ; " Solitary," p. 95 ; " Operations," p. 65 ; 
"Habitation," p. 135; "Material," p. 17; "Cement," p. 146; "Pro- 
geny," p. 50 ; and " Diameter," p. 65. 

1. There are several species of bees distinguished 
by the appellation of solitary, because they do not 
associate, to carry on any joint operations. Of this 
kind is the mason-bee, so called because it builds a 
habitation composed of sand and mortar. The nests 
of this bee are fixed to the walls of houses, and when 
finished, have the appearance of irregular prominen- 
ces, arising from dirt or clay, accidentally thrown 
against a wall or stone by the feet of horses. These 
prominences are not so remarkable as to attract at- 
tention ; but when the external coat is removed, their 
structure is discovered to be truly admirable. The 
interior part consists of an assemblage of different 
cells, each of which affords a convenient lodgment to 
a white worm, pretty similar to those produced by 
the Jioney-hee. Here they remain till they have un- 
dergone all their metamorphoses. In constructing 
this nest, which is a work of great labour and dex- 
terity, the female is the sole operator. The manner 
in which the female mason-bees build their nests, is 
the most curious branch of their history. 

2. After choosing a part of a wall, on which she is 
resolved to fix a habitation for her future progeny, 
she goes in quest of proper material. The nest to be 
constructed, must consist of a species of mortar, of 
which sand is the basis. She knows, like human 
builders, that every kind of sand is not equally proper 
for making good mortar. She goes, therefore, to a 
bed of sand, and selects, grain after grain, the kind 
which is best to answer her purpose. With her 
teeth, which are as large and as strong as those of 
the honey-bee, she examines and brings together 

16* 



186 THIRD BOOK OF 






several grains. But sand alone will not make mor- 
tar ; recourse must be had to a cement, similar to 
the slacked lime employed by masons. Our bee is 
unacquainted with lime, but she possesses an equiva- 
lent in her own body. From her mouth she throws 
out a viscid liquor, with which she moistens the first 
grain ; to this she cements a second, which she moist- 
ens in the same manner ; and to the former two she 
attaches a third, and so on, till she has formed a 
mass as large as the shot usually employed to kill 
hares. This mass she carries off in her teeth, to the 
place she had chosen for erecting her nest, and 
makes it the foundation of the first cell. In this 
manner she labours incessantly till all the cells are 
completed ; a work which is generally accomplished 
in five or six days. All the cells are similar, and 
nearly of equal dimensions. Before they are covered, 
their figure resembles that of a thimble. She never 
begins to make a second till the first is finished. 
Each cell is about an inch high, and nearly half an 
inch in diameter. 

Smellie. 



LESSON XIII. 



KUINS OF THE COLOSSEUM. 

Nov'elty, n., strangeness, newness. F. nouveaute, from novtts, L., 
new. 

Amphithe'atre, n., a building generally elliptical, but sometimes cir- 
cular, in form, having its area encompassed with ranges of seats, 
one above another, so as to afford the occupants a full view of the 
brutalising and revolting exhibitions in the pit — viz., the slaughter 
of wild animals, the combats of gladiators — or Christians gored by 
wild bulls, or devoured by beasts. The Flavian Amphitheatre, 



READING LESSONS. 187 

styled the " Colosseum," from its magnitude, was erected by Fla- 
vius Vespasian, soon after the final destruction of Jerusalem by his 
son Titus. Historians affirm, that no less than 30,000 Jewish cap- 
tives were employed at one time on this gigantic edifice. It meas- 
ures 157 feet in height and 1640 in circumference, is of an oval 
form, was capable of accommodating 100,000 spectators, and cost 
£3,000,000 sterling. F. amphitheatre; from (Or.) amphi, around, 
and theatron, a theatre, from theaomai, I behold. 

Twi'light, n., the waning light immediately after the setting (as 
here), or before the rising, of the sun. D. tweelicht ; A.S., tweonliht, 
dubious light, — tweon, from tweonan, to doubt. 

U'niverse, n., the whole system of the world. F. univers ; L. uni- 
versal from unus, the whole, and verto, I turn. 

Magnificence, n., splendour. F. inagnificence. "Magnify," p. 178. 

Per'manence, n., continuance in the same state (of serenity). See 
"Permanent," p. 116. 

Conservation, n., preservation from decay. F. conservation, from 
conserver. I. and L. conservo, — con, and servo, I save, I keep. 

Architect, n,, the chief Framer or Builder. F. architecte, from (G.) 
arche, chief, and tekton, a builder, from teucho, I build. 

Minute', a., little, small. F. minute, from minuere, L., to lessen. 

Hori'zon, n., the line which bounds or terminates the view. F. L. 
and G. horizon, from horizo, G., I bound :—horos, a boundary. 

These ruins are highly impressive; yet when I saw 
them six years ago, they had a stronger effect on my 
imagination ; whether it w T as the charm of novelty, 
or that my mind was fresher, or that the circum- 
stances under which I saw them were peculiar, I 
know not ; but, probably, all these causes operated 
in affecting my mind. It was a still and beautiful 
evening in the month of May; the last sunbeams 
were dying away in the western sky, and the first 
moon-beams shining in the eastern ; the bright orange 
tints lighted up the ruins, and, as it were, kindled the 
snow T s that still remained on the distant Apennines, 
which were visible from the highest accessible part 
of the amphitheatre. In this glow of colouring, the 
green of advanced spring softened the grey and yel- 
low tints of the decaying stones, and as the lights 
gradually became fainter, the masses appeared grand- 
er and more majestic ; and when the twilight had 
entirely disappeared, the contrast of light and shade 



188 THIRD BOOK OF 

in the beams of the full moon, and beneath a sky of 
the brightest sapphire, but so highly illuminated, 
that only Jupiter, and a few stars of the first magni- 
tude, were visible, gave a solemnity and magnificence 
to the scene, which awakened the highest degree of 
that emotion, which is so properly termed the sub- 
lime. The beauty and permanence of the heavens, 
and the principle of conservation belonging to the 
system of the universe, the works of the eternal and 
divine Architect, were finely opposed to the perish- 
ing and degraded works of man in his most active 
and powerful state. And at this moment, so humble 
appeared the condition of the most exalted beings 
belonging to the earth, so feeble their combinations, 
so minute the point of space, and so limited the pe- 
riod of time in which they act, that I could hardly 
avoid comparing the generations of man, and the ef- 
fects of his genius and power, to the swarms of fire- 
flies, which were dancing around me, and that ap- 
peared flitting and sparkling amidst the gloom and 
darkness of the ruins, but which w T ere no longer visi- 
ble when they rose above the horizon — their feeble 
light being lost and utterly obscured in the bright- 
ness of the moon-beams in the heavens. 

Sir Humphrey Davy. 



LESSON XIV. 

THE INFLUENCE OF MUSIC. 

Musician (-zish'-), n., one skilled in the art of combining sounds agree- 
ably to the ear; one who performs on musical instruments. F. 
musicien, from musica, L., from mousa, G., a muse. 

In'fluence, n., power flowing or proceeding from any cause. F. in- 
fluence, from (L.) in finer e, — ih t and fiuere, to flow. 



READING LESSONS. 189 

Dex'terous, a., skilful. See "Dexterity," p. 184. 

Emo'tions, n., mental feelings, or workings of the mind. F. emotions, 

from (L.) emovere, — e, and rnovere, to move. 
Sol'ace, n., comfort, recreation. L. solatium, from solor, I comfort. 
Mel'ody, n. t a succession of sweet sounds. F. melodie ; I. S. L. and 

G. melodia, from (G.) meli, honey, and ode, song or tune. 
Tem'ple, n., a place consecrated or appropriated to purposes of re- 
ligion. F. temple, from temenos, G., a place set apart, from temnein, 

to cut off. 
In'dolence, n., laziness ; state of being free from pain or concern 

about one's business. F. indolence, from (L.) indolens, — in, not, and 

dolens, p. pt. of dolere, to be in pain. 
Echo (ek'-ko), n , a rebounding sound ; the sound returned. F. I. L. 

and G. echo, from echein, G., to sound. 
Ser'apeum, n., one of the orders or choirs of the heavenly spirits, so 

called because inflamed with divine love. Heb. seraphim, from 

seraph, to burn. 

1. The musician, in a more especial manner, is in- 
debted to the sense of hearing for the influence which 
he can exert over our nature. That dexterous ar- 
rangement and correspondence of sounds, which are 
capable, without being in any way addressed to our 
understanding, of exciting so many lively emotions 
within our minds, are entirely the offspring of this 
sense. If it served no other and no higher purpose 
than this alone, of furnishing mankind with so sweet 
a solace amid the toils and trials of the world, they 
would surely find ample cause for gratitude in the 
endowment. How many an aching heart has found 
relief — how many a weary mind has been enlivened 
— how many a rugged nature has been softened — 
how many a cruel purpose has been diverted and 
disarmed, by the mediation of this enchanting art ! 
On the field of war, when all things around are over- 
cast with a hue of death and ruin, and when even 
reason, duty, and the love of country itself, are in- 
sufficient to prevent the spirits from sinking at the 
sight of the terrible pomp of destruction that stalks 
around, the sound of the fife and drum is able to con- 
firm the staggering soul, to arouse the drooping en- 



190 THIRD BOOK OF 

ergies of the heart, and hurry them on to an intoxi- 
cation of bravery and defiance, which all the persua- 
sions of reason could never have produced. 

2. In the bosom of domestic life, how effectual is 
the moderate intervention of this science, in strength- 
ening the bond of social love, and in cheering the ex- 
ertions of industry ! The poor artisan, who is fed by 
the labour of his hands, forgets his toil, while he un- 
burdens his heart in song ; and the fond father and 
brother feel their affection sensibly increased, when 
the object of their care is charming the hours away 
with a melody of other times. In the temples of the 
living God, when the mind is distracted by the mem- 
ory of earthly cares, or the assaults of indolence and 
tepidity, the choir and the organ are used to direct 
its attention and to elevate its aspirations. Here, 
too, they are made to the Supreme Being a faint 
echo of that homage which he receives, in its perfec- 
tion, from the seraphim in heaven. How precious, 
therefore, is this art, which is capable of soothing the 
unhappy, of refreshing the weary, of softening the 
• hard of heart, of re-animating a drooping courage, of 
strengthening a social affection, of inspiring even la- 
bour itself with a multitude of pleasing and cheerful 
associations ! 

G. Griffin. 



FRAGMENT. 



Though nature weigh our talents, and dispense 
To every man his modicum of sense, 
Yet much depends, as in the tiller's toil, 
On culture, and the sowing of the soil. 



READING LESSONS. 191 

LESSON XV. 

THE CROSS OF THE SOUTH. 

The pleasure we felt in discovering the constellation, called 
the Southern Cross, was warmly shared by such of the 
crew as had lived in the colonies. In the solitude of the 
sea, we hail a star, as a friend from whom we have been 
long separated. Among the Portuguese and Spaniards, 
peculiar motives seem to increase this feeling ; a religious 
sentiment attaches them to a constellation, the form of 
which recalls the sign of the faith planted by their ances- 
tors in the deserts of the New World. The two great 
stars which mark the summit and the foot of the cross, 
having nearly the same right ascension, it follows that the 
constellation is almost perpendicular at the moment when 
it passes the meridian. This circumstance is known to 
every nation that lies beyond the tropics, or in the south- 
ern hemisphere. It has been observed at what hour of 
the night, in different seasons, the Cross of the South is 
erect or inclined. It is a time-piece, that advances very 
regularly nearly four minutes a day, and no other group 
of stars exhibits, to the naked eye, an observation of time 
so easily made. How often have we heard our guides 
exclaim in the savannahs of Venezuela, or in the desert 
extending from Lima to Truxillo, "Midnight is past; the 
Cross begins to bend !" — Humboldt's Travels. 



1. In the silence and grandeur of midnight I tread, 
Where savannahs in boundless magnificence spread, 
And bearing sublimely their snow-wreaths on high, 
The far Cordilleras unite with the sky. 

2. The fern-tree waves o'er me, the fire-fly's red light, 
With its quick-glancing splendour, illumines the night, 



192 THIRD BOOK OF 

And I read in each tint of the skies and the earth, 
How distant my steps from the land of my birth. 

3. But to thee, as thy lode-stars resplendently burn 
In their clear depths of blue, with devotion I turn, 
Bright Cross of the South ! and beholding thee shine, 
Scarce regret the loved land of the olive and vine. 

4. Thou recallest the ages when first o'er the main 
My fathers unfolded the streamer of Spain, 

And planted their faith in the regions that see 
Its imperishing symbol emblazoned in thee. 

5. How oft in their course o'er the oceans unknown, 
"When all was mysterious, and awfully lone, 

Hath their spirit been cheered by the light, when the 

deep 
Reflected its brilliance in tremulous sleep ! 

6. As the vision that rose to the lord of the world,* 
When first his bright banner of faith was unfurl 'd ; 
Ev'n such to the heroes of Spain, when their prow 
Made the billows the path of their glory, wert thou. 

7. And to me, as I traverse the world of the west, 
Through deserts of beauty in stillness that rest, 
By forests and rivers, untamed in their pride, 
Thy beams have a language, thy course is a guide. 

8. Shine on — my own land is a far-distant spot, 
And the stars of thy sphere can enlighten it not ; 
And the eyes that I love, though e'en now they 

may be 
O'er the firmament wand'ring, can gaze not on thee ! 

* Constantine. 



READING LESSONS. 193 

9. But thou to my thoughts art a pure-blazing shrine, 
A fount of bright hopes and of visions divine ; 
And my soul, as an eagle exulting and free, 
Soars high o'er the Andes to mingle with thee. 

Mrs. Hemans. 



THE SISTER OF MERCY. 

1. Before the Cross, before the Altar, 

She gave her vows to God, 
To bear that Cross, and ne'er to falter, 

To trace the steps He trod. 
The world's false lights, — its wild emotion, 

Shall move her mind no more, 
The star which wakes her soul's devotion, 

Illumes th' eternal shore. 

2. Vain dreams of youth are past and perish'd, 

"While youth is still in bloom ; 
Friends, hopes, and scenes, once loved and cher- 
ish'd, 

Are sunk in memory's tomb. 
Or if, when met, these long forsaken 

To calm delight give birth, 
The wish — the thought — their presence wakens, 

Belongs not to this earth. 

3. " It is not here we seek our treasure," 

She cries, " where all is vain ; 
Not here I seek the short-lived pleasure, 

Which folly buys from pain. 
Be mine the task in ev'ry season, 

To soothe the suff'rer's wo, 
On grief- wrung thoughts and wand'ring reason 

Sweet Mercy to bestow. 
IT 



194 THIRD BOOK OF 

4. " For me the mean thatch'd hut is pleasant, 

If Mercy there can find 
An entrance to the wretched peasant, 

The lowliest of his kind, 
An outcast ! true — yet oh ! remember, 

I followed Him whose head 
Was pillow'd in the cold December 

Upon his stable bed." 

5. Still may just Heaven, its frowns repressing, 

Point out the path ye go, 
And crown with many a fruitful blessing, 

The labours ye bestow. 
Till in that land where grief comes never, 

And weary souls find rest, 
Te meet for ever, and for ever, 

Companions of the blest. 



LESSON XYI. 

ASIA. 

Tur/key in Asia or Asiatic Turkey, — a country about half a million 
sq. miles in area, with a pop. of 12 mil., or 24 inhabitants to the sq. 
m., — extends from the BL Sea and Russia, N., to Arabia, S., and 
from the Archipelago and Mediterranean, W., to Persia, E. It 
comprises Asia Minor ; Syria, which includes the ancient Canaan, 
now Palestine, called Palcestina from the Philistines ; Armenia, so 
called from Aram, son of Sem; Koordistan or Assyria (from As- 
sur H a descendant of Sem), in which stood Nineve ; Irak-Arabi, 
originally Chaldoea, afterwards Babylonia, from Babylon ; and 
Mesopotamia (mesos, middle, and potamos, a river), lying between 
the Euphrates and Tigris, and comprising portions of the last throe 
divisions. 

Ara'bia, a country S. of A. Turkey, of double its area, but possessing 
a pop. of only 10 mill., — extends from Syria and Chaldaea, N., to 
the Indian Ocean, S., and from the Red Sea, W., to the Persian 
Gulf, E. It still retains its ancient name and divisions : these are 
Arabia Petrcea (the Stony, jN\), in which are Mounts Sinai and Ho- 



READING LESSONS. 195 

reb ; Arabia Deserta (the Desert, or sandy, in the middle) ; and 
Arabia Felix (the Happy, S.), now Yemen. Saba was at the S. 
Western extremity of Arabia, and Arsinoe or Cleopatris, now Suez, 
at the N. Western. The Arabs are descended from Ismael. 

Per'sia, a country of Asia, — half the area of Arabia, with 1 mil. in 
pop. less than the latter, — extends from the Persian Gulf to the 
Caspian, and from the Euphrates and Tigris to the borders of Af- 
ghanistan. Persia Proper, or Per sis (now Pars), was the Flam of 
antiquity, so called from Sem's eldest son. 

Afghanistan', a country as large as Asiatic Turkey, with only half 
its pop., extending from Tartary, N., to the Indian Ocean, S., and 
from India, E., to Persia, W. The tract anciently called Aria, ex- 
tending from Media (which was the country along the S. of the 
Caspian) to India, included the whole, or the greater part, of Af- 
ghanistan. 

Hindostan' or Western Peninsula, or India from the Indus, is one- 
third the area of Europe, or equal in size to Arabia, together with 
half of Asiatic Turkey, and has a pop of 141 mil. A.N. India in- 
tra Gangem, — India within the Ganges. 

Eas'tern Penin'sula, a country extending from Tibet and China, W., 
to the Gulf of Siam, S., and from Bengal Bay and Hindostan, W., 
to the Chinese Sea, E. Area, 800,000 sq. m. ; pop. 18 mil. A.N. 
India extra Gangem, — extra, beyond. 

Chi'na, a country N. of the Ch. Sea and the E. Peninsula, of the same 
size as Hindostan, with about half the pop. of all Asia. It is called 
by the natives Tchon-Koue, — the Centre of the Earth. 

Tib'et, a high table-land, three times as large as Spain, with a pop. 
of only 5 mil., is N". of India. It is styled by the natives Pue or 
Pue-Kouchim, — the Snowy Land of the North. 

Tar'tary or Tatary, is a vast tract extending the whole breadth of 
Asia, S. of Asiatic Russia. Area, nearly 4 mil. sq. m. ; pop. Yl mil. 
A.N. Scythia. 

Asiat'ic Rus'sia, or Siberia, a tract E. of Russia in Europe, and K of 
Tartary, 10 times as large as Persia; pop. 8 mil. A.N. Sarmatia 
Asiatica. 

1. This grand division of the globe, the second in 
rank and importance, even in modern times, is first 
in extent and population. It is bounded, north, by 
the Northern Ocean ; west, by Europe, the Sea of 
Azof, the Black Sea, the Sea of Marmora, the Arch- 
ipelago, the Mediterranean, the Isthmus of Suez, and 
the Red Sea ; south, by the Indian Ocean ; and east, 
by the Pacific Ocean. It contains the following coun- 
tries : Turkey in Asia, Arabia, Persia, Afghanistan, 
Hindostan, Eastern Peninsula, China, Tibet, Eastern 
or Chinese Tartary, Western or Independent Tartary, 



196 THIRD BOOK OF 

and Asiatic Kussia ; to which may be added the 
Islands of Japan. Its length from the Dardanelles 
to the eastern shores of Tartary, is about 6000 miles ; 
its breadth, from the south of Malacca, to Cape 
Severo, is 5400 miles. It is said to contain 16 mil- 
lions of square miles, with a population of 446 mil- 
lions. 

2. The greater portion of this vast continent is 
situated in the north temperate zone; that in the 
torrid zone being only one-seventh, and that in the 
frigid, one-seventeenth of the entire. Central Asia 
rises to a considerable height above the sea, and 
forms a plateau, or table-land, from four to ten thou- 
sand fq.et in elevation, which gradually descends to a 
level with the low-lands, by which this elevated mass 
is surrounded. Upon the eastern or highest part of 
this plateau, are placed the lofty Himalaya mount- 
ains, which are the highest in the world ; nature, 
as it were, proportioning the superstructure to the 
foundation on which it was to be erected. Taurus 
and Caucasus mark the western limits of this plateau; 
the Himalaya range and its branches, the southern ; 
while the mountain-ranges of Western China, and the 
Alpine region of Da-uria, mark its limits on the other 
sides. 

3. All the great rivers of Asia have their sources 
in the highlands of this middle region. The Obi, 
Yenisei, and Lena, with their tributaries, discharge 
their torrents, under seas of ice, into the Frozen 
Ocean. The two great rivers of China, the Hwang-ho 
and Yang-tse-Kiang, the respective courses of which 
are 2000 and 2900 miles, rise in the mountain region 
of Eastern Asia. The high tides of the Pacific 
Ocean ascend these rivers several hundred miles, 



READING LESSONS. 197 

and render them navigable a considerable distance 
from the sea. The Irrawady, Ganges, Brahmapootra, 
Indus, and Euphrates, descend from the western ter- 
races of this great plateau, and carry their waters, 
and those of the lowlands of Southern Asia, which 
they traverse, to the Indian Ocean. Some of these 
rivers, as the Ganges and Brahmapootra, like the 
Nile, inundate the adjacent countries to a consider- 
able distance. 

4. Asia, on account of its immense extent, pos- 
sesses every variety of soil and climate. The char- 
acter of its people varies with their climate. The 
Chinese are remarkable for their industry ; the Hin- 
doos for the opposite quality ; while the Arabs and 
Tartars lead the same wandering life as in the an- 
cient patriarchal times. The form of government is 
almost universally despotic. The rapid rise and dis- 
appearance of Asiatic towns has been accounted for 
by the slight and perishable nature of the materials 
which form the houses. In Arabia, and on the great 
plateau, where wood is scarce, they are mere tents, 
covered with skins of beasts, or with stuff made of 
their hair or wool. In India, where wood is abun- 
dant, they are formed of that material, but so slightly, 
that they soon decay. 

5. Asia derives its name from a city called Asia^ 
belonging to the tribe of the Asiones, in a district of 
Lydia. The name of the city was first extended by 
the Greeks to Asia Minor, and ultimately to the 
other regions of the east. Until the rise of the Ro- 
man empire, it occupied the first place in the history 
of mankind. It was the scene of all the leading 

; events recorded in Sacred "Writ ; of the creation of 
mankind, the delivery of the law. the miraculous 

17* 



198 THIRD BOOK OF 

favours which God bestowed upon his chosen people, 
of our redemption by his only-begotten Son, and of 
the establishment of his Church, which was after- 
wards to extend itself over all the nations of the 
earth. It was also the seat of the most powerful em- 
pires of antiquity, a great part having been succes- 
sively governed by the Assyrians, Medes, Persians, 
Greeks, and Romans, though the ancient conquerors 
knew little of India or of China. The population is 
generally allowed to be primitive, excepting, perhaps, 
a few colonies from Russia, and the European settle- 
ments in Hindostan and the south-eastern islands. 

6. Almost the entire of this great continent is re- 
duced to the very lowest state of moral degradation, 
—its people, the slaves of the grossest superstitions. 
Attempts have been made, and with much success, 
to diffuse the light of the Gospel among them, par- 
ticularly in the south and east ; and fatigues, suffer- 
ings, and persecutions, are being daily and cheerfully 
undergone by Catholic Missionaries, to effect this 
glorious object. The recent persecutions in Cochin- 
China have given new martyrs to the Church of God, 
and manifested to the world, that she still possesses 
within her bosom that spirit of zeal, fortitude, and 
self-sacrifice, for which, in all ages, her children have 
peculiarly been distinguished. C. B. 



LESSON XVII, 



PROPERTIES OF MATTER. 






Ed'ifice, n., a building, a fabric. F. edifice, from (L.) cedijico, — cedes, 

a house, and facio, I make or construct. 
£>agac/ity, n. y acuteness of discovery ; clearsightedness. F. sagacite, 

from (L.) sagaps, y^se, and this from sagire, to see clearly. 



BEADING LESSONS. 199 

Vi'tal, a., pertaining to life. F. and S. vital ; from vita, L., life. 
Men'tal, a., of or pertaining to the mind. F. and S. mental, from 

mens, L., the mind. 
Mod'ify, v., to qualify, to temper ; to change the form or accidents 

of a thing, so as to reduce it to a certain measure or standard. 

L. modificare, — modus, measure, and facere, to reduce or bring to. 
Fundamental, a., essential ; serving as a basis or foundation. F. 

fondamentel, from fund 1 us, L., a foundation. 
Chem'ical, a., relating to chemistry ; made by chemistry. F. chy- 

mique. See " Chemist," p. 55. 
Dissolved (diz-), pt, melted. L. dissolutus, from dis, and solvo, I 

loosen, I melt. 
Igni'ted, pt., kindled, or set on fire. F. ignee, from L., ignis, fire. 
Revolve', v., to roll, to turn round or back. L. revolvo, — re, and volvo, 

I roll 
For "Universe," see p. 187; "Phenomena," p. 168; "Physical," 

p. 67 : " Philosophy," p. 82 ; "Appellation," p. 184. 

1. If it excites our admiration, that a varied edi- 
fice, or even a magnificent city, can be constructed 
of stone from one quarry, what must our feeling be 
to learn how few and simple the elements are, out of 
which the sublime fabric of the universe, with all its 
orders of phenomena, has arisen, and is now sus- 
tained ! These elements are general facts and laws, 
which human sagacity is able to detect, and then to 
apply to endless purposes of human advantage. 

2. Now, the four words, atom, attraction, repul- 
sion, and inertia, point to four general truths, which 
explain the greater part of the phenomena of nature. 
Being so general, they are called physical truths, 
from the Greek word signifying nature / as also, 
" truths of natural philosophy," with the same mean- 
ing ; and sometimes, " mechanical truths," from their 
close relation to ordinary machinery. These appel- 
lations distinguish them from the remaining general 
truths, namely, the chemical truths, which regard 
particular substances, and the vital and mental truths, 
which have relation only to living beings. And even 
in the cases where a chemical or vital influence 



200 THIRD BOOK OF 

operates, it modifies, but does not destroy, the physi- 
cal influence. By fixing the attention, then, on these 
four fundamental truths, the student obtains, as it 
were, so many keys to unlock, and lights to illumine, 
the secrets and treasures of nature. 

3. Every material mass iii nature is divisible into 
very minute, indestructible, and unchangeable par- 
ticles ; — as when a piece of any metal is bruised, 
broken, cut, dissolved, or otherwise transformed, a 
thousand times, but can always be exhibited again as 
perfect as at first. This truth is conveniently re- 
called by giving to the particles the name atom, 
which is a Greek term, signifying that which cannot 
be farther cut or divided, or an exceedingly minute 
resisting particle. 

4. It is found that the atoms above referred to, 
whether separate or already joined into masses, as 
when the atoms of which any mass is composed, are, 
by an invisible influence, held together w T ith a certain 
degree of force ; or when a block of stone is similarly 
held down to the earth on which it lies ; or when the 
tides on the earth rise towards the moon. These 
facts are conveniently recalled, by connecting with 
them the word attraction, a drawing together, or 
gravitation. 

5. Atoms, under certain circumstances, as of heat 
diffused among them, have their mutual attraction 
countervailed or resisted, and they tend to or sepa- 
rate; — as w T hen ice heated, melts into water; or 
when water heated, bursts into steam ; or when gun- 
powder ignited, explodes. Such facts are convenient- 
ly called by the term repulsion, a thrusting asunder. 

6. As a fly-wheel made to revolve, at first offers 
resistance to the force moving it, but gradually ac- 



READING LESSONS. 201 

quires speed proportioned to that force, and then 
resists being again stopped, in proportion to its 
speed ; so, all bodies or atoms in the universe have 
about thern, in regard to motion, what may be fig- 
uratively called a stubbornness, tending to keep them 
in their existing state, whatever it may be ; in other 
words, they neither acquire motion, nor lose motion, 
nor bend their course in motion, but in exact pro- 
portion to some force applied. Many of the motions 
now going on in the universe with such regularity — 
as that turning of the earth which produces the phe- 
nomena of day and night — are motions which began 
thousands of years ago, and continue unvarying in 
this way. Such facts are conveniently recalled by 
the term inertia. Aenott. 



lesson xyin. 

on the duties of school boys. 

Knowledge (nol'ledje), n., learning, information ; illumination of the 

mind. Old Eng. knowlech. 
Senti'ment, «., feeling, sense. F. sentiment, from sentir, to feel. 
Education, n., formation of manners ; the act of training the habits 

and affections ; the act of leading or drawing forth the faculties 

of the mind. F. education, from (L.) edueare, — e, and ducare, to 

lead forth. 
Ancient (ane'-), a., old ; of other or past times. F. ancien. See 

"Antiquity," p. 51. 
Or'ator, n., an eloquent speaker ; one who delivers elaborate 

speeches or harangues. L. orator, from or are, to speak : — os (oris, 

the genitive), the mouth, is the root. 
Amend'ment, n., correction ; change from bad for the better. F. 

amendement, from menda, L., a stain, a blemish. 
Prob'ity, n., rectitude, integrity, sincerity. F. probite, from probo, 

L., I prove or approve. 
Discern (diz-zern'), v., to see or perceive clearly and distinctly. L. 

discerno, — dis, and cerno, from krino, G., I discern. 
No'ble, a., generous, spirited. F. and S. noble ; L. nobilis, from nosco, 

I know. 
Emulation, n., rivalry, competition. F. emulation, from cemulus, L., 

vying with. 



202 THIRD BOOK OF 

1. Almost all the duties of scholars have been in- 
cluded in this one piece of advice, — to love those 
who teach them, as they love the knowledge which 
they derive from them ; and to look upon them as 
fathers, from whom they derive, not the life of the 
body, but that instruction, which is, in a manner, 
the life of the soul. Indeed, this sentiment of affec- 
tion and respect suffices to make them apt to learn 
during the time of their studies, and full of gratitude 
all the rest of their lives. It seems to me to include 
a great part of what is to be expected from them. 
Docility, which consists in submitting to directions, 
in readily receiving the instructions of their masters, 
and in reducing them to practice, is properly the vir- 
tue of scholars, as that of masters is to teach well. 
The one can do nothing without the other ; and as 
it is not sufficient for a labourer to sow the seed, un- 
less the earth, after having opened its bosom to 
receive it, in a manner hatches, warms, and moistens 
it ; so, likewise, the good fruit of instruction depends 
upon a good correspondence between the masters 
and the scholars. 

2. Gratitude to those who have laboured in our 
education, is the character of an honest man, and 
the mark of a good heart. "Who is there among 
us," says an ancient orator, " that has been instructed 
with any care, who is not highly delighted with the 
sight, or even the bare remembrance of his teachers, 
and of the place where he was taught and brought 
up ?" 

3. An ancient philosopher exhorts young men to 
preserve always a great respect for their masters, to 
whose care they are indebted for the amendment of 
their faults, and for having imbibed sentiments of 



READING LESSONS. 203 

honour and probity. Their exactness displeases 
sometimes, at an age when we are not in a condition 
to judge of the obligations we owe to them ; but 
when years have ripened our understanding and 
judgment, we then discern that what made us dislike 
them, is expressly the very thing which should make 
us esteem and love them. 

4. Another eminent writer of antiquity, after hav- 
ing noted the different characters of the mind in 
children, draws, in a few words, the image of what 
he judged to be a perfect scholar, and certainly it is 
a very amiable one, " For my part," says he, " I 
like a child who is encouraged by commendation, is 
animated by a sense of glory, and weeps when he is 
outdone. A noble emulation will always keep him 
in exercise, a reprimand will touch him to the quick, 
and honour will serve instead of the rod. "We need 
not fear that such a scholar will ever give himself 
up to sulkiness." How great a value soever this 
writer puts upon the talents of the mind, he esteems 
those of the heart far beyond them, and looks upon 
the other as of no value without them. He declares, 
he should never have a good opinion of a child who 
placed his study in occasioning laughter. " I should 
rather chopse," added he, " to have a boy dull and 
heavy, than of a bad disposition. 55 

Eollin. 



A QUARREL. JOHN PETER. 

John. — I have been very wrong in trying to vex 
you, cousin ; but it was not from ill-will, neither. — 
Peter. I know it : you bore me no ill-will : we are 



204 THIRD BOOK OF 

good friends. — J. But it was wicked in me to say 
and do things on purpose to teaze you. — P. If you 
did so, that was wicked: but it was nature. — J. 
Surely, I am not naturally wicked ! — P. We are all 
naturally wicked and naturally good, too : the good- 
ness of your nature has now gotten the better. — J. 
Do you forgive me ? — P. I do with all my heart ; 
and if you ever wish me ill again, pray to God that 
it may come to pass. — J. "What do you mean ? Do 
you think I will ever pray God that any ill may 
befal you ? — P. No ; I am certain you will not, nor 
ever harm me in deeds. I only mean to give you a 
test by which to try your thoughts and words : — Do 
not follow in thought or by word any purpose that 
you cannot commend to God by prayer. 

H. D. B. 



LESSON XIX. 

LAKE OF KILLARNEY. 

Picturesque (-res"k'), a., suitable for a picture ; fitted for the purpose 
of a painter. I. pittoresco ; L. pictura, a picture, from pictum, p. 
pt. of pingo, I paint. 

Cascade', n„ a waterfall. F. cascade, from cado, L., I fall. 

Innisfal'len, n., a beauteous island, originally called Innis Nessan, 
— innis, ennis, or inch (L. insula), an island, and Nissan, from the 
father of St. Finian, the founder of its venerable abbey in the 6th 
century. 

Pa'tron, n., a protector or guardian. F. and S. patron, from (L.) 
paler, patris, a father. 

An'nals, n., chronological records ; histories digested in the exact 
order of time, or according to the years in which the events oc- 
curred. F. and L. annates, from annus, L., a year. 

Thun'der, n., a loud, rumbling, terrific noise, which usually follows 
lightning. A.S. thunder ; L. tonitru, from tono, I roar. 

Scenery (seen'-), n., the appearance of a combination of objects (in a 
beautiful landscape, <fec.) : F. scene, and I. S. and L. scena, a scene, 
from G. skene : — anciently plays were acted under trees, and 
hence it is used to express the scene of a stage, though properly 
it signifies a place shaded by trees. 



READING LESSONS. 205 

Cathe'bral, n., the principal church of a diocess ; the seat of episco- 
pal authority. F. cathedrale, from (G.) kata, and edra, a seat. 

Spontaneous, a., free, unforced ; applied to such plants as spring 
and flourish without culture. L. spontaneus, See p. 177. 

Can'non, n., an unportable gun. F. canon, from G. kanna, a reed. 
For "Magnificence," see p. 187 ; "Summit," p. 105 ; "Echo," p. 189 ; 
"Indented," p. 102 ; and "Boundary," p. 17. 

1. The lake of Killarney, in the province of Mini- 
ster and county of Kerry, affords the most beautiful 
and picturesque prospects in nature. This lake is 
divided into three parts, called the upper, middle, 
and lower lake. The northern, or lower lake, is six 
miles in length, and from three to four in breadth. 
On the side of one of the mountains is O'Sullivan's 
Cascade, which falls into the lake, making a noise 
which strikes the spectator with awe. The view of 
this sheet of water is uncommonly fine, appearing as 
if descending from an arch of wood, which over- 
hangs it above seventy feet in height from the point 
of view. The islands are not so numerous in this as 
in the upper lake ; but there is one of uncommon 
beauty, called Innisfallen, nearly opposite O'Sulli- 
van's Cascade, which contains twenty Irish acres. 
In this island are the ruins of an ancient abbey, 
founded by St. Finian, the patron saint of those 
parts, the situation of which is romantic and retired. 
There was formerly a chronicle kept in this abbey, 
called the Annals of Innisf alien. They contain a 
sketch of universal history, from the creation of the 
world to the year 430 ; but from that period, the an- 
nalist has amply prosecuted the affairs of Ireland 
down to his own time, (1215). The promontory of 
Mucross, which divides the upper from the lower 
lake, is a perfect land of enchantment ; and a road 
is carried through the centre of this promontory, 
which unfolds all the interior beauties of the place. 
Among the distant mountains, Turk appears an ob- 

18 



206 THIRD BOOK OF 

ject of magnificence, and Mangertorts more lofty 
and more interesting summit soars above the whole. 

2. The passage of the upper lake is round the ex- 
tremity of Mucross, which confines it on one side, 
and the approaching mountains on the other. Here 
is a celebrated rock, called the Eagle's 'Nest, which 
produces wonderful echoes; A French horn sounded 
here, raises a concert superior to that of a hundred 
instruments ; and the report of a single cannon is 
answered by a succession of peals resembling the 
loudest thunder, which seem to traverse the sur- 
rounding scenery, and die away among the distant 
mountains. The upper lake is four miles in length, 
and from two to three in breadth. It is almost sur- 
rounded by mountains, from which descend a num- 
ber of beautiful cascades. The islands in the lake 
are numerous, and afford an amazing variety of pic- 
turesque scenes. The centre lake, which communi- 
cates with the upper, is small in comparison with 
the other two, and cannot boast of equal variety ; 
but the shores are, in many places, indented with 
beautiful bays, surrounded by dark groves of trees. 
The eastern boundary is formed by the base of Man- 
gerton, down the steep side of which descends a cas- 
cade, visible for 150 yards. This fall of water is 
supplied by a circular lake near the summit of the 
mountain, called the DeviVs Punch-Bowl, which, 
on account of its immense depth, and the continual 
overflow of water, is considered as one of the greatest 
curiosities of Killarney. 

3. One of the best prospects which this admired 
lake affords, is from a rising ground, near the ruined 
cathedral of Aghadoe. The depth of this lake is 
equally surprising, — places under the rocky shores 



READING LESSONS. 207 

being from fifteen to twenty fathoms, and some parts 
from seventy to eighty fathoms deep. 

4. The island of Innisfallen, in the lower lake, al- 
already mentioned, is generally the dining place, 
where there is a kind of hall fitted up by Lord Ken- 
mare. What is very surprising here, is the sponta- 
neous production of the arbutus, or strawberry-tree, 
which is found in great plenty and perfection in 
many of these islands ; it was probably introduced 
here by the monks who inhabited this place at a 
very early period. This plant was not much known 
about London so late as 1770. Near the lake of Kil- 
larney, there is a rich copper mine wrought, which 
produces from 50 to 60 tons of ore per w r eek. 

Clarke's Wonders. 



LESSON XX. 

INNISFALLEN. 

1. Sweet Innisfallen, fare thee well, 

May calm and sunshine long be thine ! 
How fair thou art, let others tell, 
While but to feel how fair is mine ! 

2. Sweet Innisfallen, fare thee well, 

And long may' light around thee smile, 
As soft as on that evening fell, 
When first I saw that fairy Isle. 

3. Thou wert too lovely, then, for one 

Who had to turn to paths of care, 
Who had through vulgar crowds to run, 
And leave thee bright and silent there. 



208 THIRD BOOK OF 

4. .No more along thy shores to roam, 

But on the world's dim ocean tost. 

Dream of thee sometimes, as a home 

Of sunshine, he had seen and lost. 

5. Far better in thy weeping hours, 

To part from thee as I do now, 
When mist is o'er thy blooming bow'rs, 
Like sorrow's veil on beauty's brow. 

6. For though unrivall'd still thy grace, 

Thou dost not look, as then, too blest, 
But in thy shadows, seem'st a place 

Where weary man might hope to rest — 

7. Might hope to rest, and find in thee, 

A gloom like Eden's on the day 
He left its shade, when every tree, 

Like thine, hung weeping o'er his way. 

8. Weeping or smiling, lovely Isle ! 

And still the lovelier for thy tears — 
For though but rare thy sunny smile, 

'Tis heaven's own glance when it appears. 

9. Like feeling hearts, whose joys are few, 

But when indeed they come, divine — 
The steadiest light the sun e'er threw 
Is lifeless to one glance of thine. 

Moore. 



FRAGMENT. 



Here sleep the brave, who sink to rest, 
By all their country *s wishes blest ! 



READING LESSONS. 209 

When Spring, with dewy fingers cold, 
Returns to deck their hallow'd mould, 
She there shall dress a sweeter sod 
Than Fancy's feet have ever trod. 

Collins. 



5. LESSON I. 



THE FINAL DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE. 

Malig'nity, n., malice, ill-will. F. malignite, which is the opposite of 
benignite, as (L.,) male, ill, is of bene, right or well. 

Extirpate (ex-ster'-pate), v^ to eradicate or root out. L. exstirpare 
(ex, and stirps, the root), to root out. 

Impious (im'-pe-us), a., ungodly, irreligious, wicked. L. impius, — im, 
and plus, dutiful, pious. 

Tri'umph (-umf), n., the feeling of exultation and gladness. L. tri- 
umphtcs ; G. thriambos, — thria, fig-leaves, and amphi, around ; be- 
cause the soldiers of Bacchus returned from their Indian victory 
wearing garlands of fig-tree leaves. 

Enthu'siasm (en-thu'-zhe-azm), n., wild joy ; that temper of mind in 
which the imagination has got the better of the judgment : — it is 
sometimes applied to a divine motion or inspiration. F. enthu- 
siasme ; G. enthousiasmos, from entheos, — en, and Theos, God. 

Apos'tate, 71., one who has renounced or forsaken his religion. F. 
apostat, from (G.) apo, and histemi, I stand. 

Oppro'brium, n., contempt. L. opprobrium, — ob, and probrum, any- 
thing inconsistent with virtue ; disgrace, infamy. 

Terrif'io, a., alarming, formidable. L. terrificus, from terreo, I ter- 
rify, I frighten. 

Greg 'or y (St.), n., a watcher, from (G.) gregoreo, I watch : — St. 
Gregory was a doctor of the church and bishop, and, from his pro- 
found skill in sacred learning, is styled the Theologian. He was 
born between the years 308 and 318, in the territory of Nazianzum, 
in Cappadocia, Asia-Minor. To a villain who had attempted to 
assassinate him, he said, " May God forgive you ; his gracious pres- 
ervation obliges me freely to pardon you." 

Chrys'ostom (St. John), n., golden mouth, — (G.) chryseos, golden, 
and stoma, mouth,— a surname given to St. John on account of the 
fluency, sweetness, and purity of his eloquence. This great bishop 
and doctor of the church was born at Antioch in 344. Writing a 
short time before his death, from the place of his exile in Armenia, 
he thus expresses himself : " I daily exult, and am transported 
with joy under my sufferings, in which I find a hidden treasure." 

18* 



210 THIRD BOOK OF 

For " Ingenuity," see p. 86 ; " Intervals," and " Phenomenon " p. 30 ; 
" Manifestation," p. 62; "Ecclesiastical," p. 182; " Testimony," p. 
76 ; and "Historians," p. 89. 

1. The emperor Julian, the immediate successor of 
the sons of Constantine, had apostatised from the 
Christian faith, openly professed himself a pagan, 
and endeavoured, by every means which the most 
malignant ingenuity could devise, to extirpate the 
religion he had abandoned. All his efforts were un- 
availing ; but the very malignity of the impious 
prince was soon to furnish additional testimony to 
the divinity of our Redeemer, and to the truth and 
perpetuity of his doctrine. The Jew T ish temple had 
long been in ruins, its sacrifices abolished and almost 
forgotten. The prophet Daniel had distinctly fore- 
told its final desolation ; and our Redeemer himself 
had expressly declared, that not one stone of it should 
remain upon another. In order to falsify these pre- 
dictions, and thus to render the Christian religion 
contemptible, Julian assembled the chief among the 
Jews, encouraged them to renew their ancient sacri- 
fices, and, as Jerusalem w r as the only place at which 
the Jewish law permitted those sacrifices to be offered, 
he promised to assist them in rebuilding their temple. 
He then collected the ablest workmen from all parts 
of the empire, hired numerous labourers, and com- 
mitted the superintendence of the work to Alipius, 
one of his most faithful officers. 

2. The Jews repaired in triumph to Jerusalem 
from all parts of the world, proclaiming everywhere, 
that the kingdom of Israel was about to be re-estab- 
lished. That they might participate in the glory of 
the enterprise, the women of every rank assisted in 
digging the foundations, and carried their enthusiasm 
so far as to remove the rubbish in their gowns and 



READING LESSONS. 211 

aprons. The rich contributed their most costly orna- 
ments, and it is even said, that, either through re- 
spect or ostentation, several of the spades and bas- 
kets used in the prosecution of the work, were made 
of silver. The Jews, long the objects of opprobrium, 
now suddenly elevated by the protection of the im- 
perial apostate, failed not to insult the Christians in 
every possible manner. The holy bishop, St. Cyril, 
on his return from banishment, witnessed their efforts 
without the least emotion. He assured the faithful 
that they would soon receive a striking demonstra- 
tion of the impotency of men, and of the extravagance 
of their opposition to the decrees of Heaven. 

3. The remains of the ancient temple were easily 
destroyed, so that, according to the very letter of the 
Scriptures, not a stone was left upon a stone. The 
foundations of the intended building were prepared, 
but as soon as the first stones were laid, a frightful 
earthquake threw them from their places, and scat- 
tered them to a considerable distance. The greater 
part of the neighbouring buildings were destroyed ; 
amongst others, the porticos to which the Jewish 
workmen had retired ; all of whom were either 
maimed and bruised, or crushed to death beneath 
the ruins. "Whirlwinds arose, which swept away the 
lime, sand, and other materials, which had been col- 
lected in immense quantities. But a still more aw- 
ful phenomenon presented itself : large balls of fire 
were thrown up from the foundations, which rolled 
with terrific rapidity in every direction, overwhelm- 
ing the workmen and consuming them to the bones, 
or reducing them entirely to ashes. In a few mo- 
ments the entire scene became a desert. The flames 
spread themselves to a building at some distance, in 
which the hammers, pickaxes, and other tools of the 






212 THIRD BOOK OF 

workmen were deposited, and instantly melted them 
down. A stream of liquid fire flowed around the 
place, bursting forth at intervals, and burning and 
scorching the wretched Jews, on whom it exclusively 
exercised its fury. This terrible phenomenon was 
repeatedly renewed during the day. At night crosses 
were seen imprinted on the garments of the Jews, 
which no effort could possibly wash out, and a bright 
shining cross appeared in the heavens, which extend- 
ed from Calvary even to Mount Olivet. The obsti- 
nate Jews returned frequently to the work, but were 
each time miraculously forced to retire ; so that many 
among them, and a still greater number of the idol- 
aters, openly confessed the divinity of Jesus Christ, 
and begged the sacrament of baptism. 

4. This extraordinary manifestation of divine pow- 
er is mentioned by all ecclesiastical historians, and 
even by several pagans. St. Gregory Nazianzen, St. 
Ambrose, and St. John Chrysostom speak of it as a 
fact of recent occurrence, of which their auditors 
were themselves eye-witnesses. St. Chrysostom in 
particular adds, that the foundations dug by the Jews 
were yet to be seen, and served as indisputable evi- 
dence of what impiety had attempted, but could not 
accomplish. 

Beecastel. 



LESSON II. 



SILK. 



Silk, n., the material as spun in threads by the worm, or a manufac- 
ture of that material. Dan. silk, from sericum, L., sericon, G., from 
the Seres (the people of Cathay), who took their name from ser, 
the worm, abounding in their woods, which produces the silk. 

Production, n., the thing made, produced, or brought forth. F. pro- 
duction, from (L.) producere — pro, and ducere, to lead or bring. 



READING LESSONS. 213 

Cox stitutes, v., forms or makes ; — from (L.) constituo, — con, and 
statuo, I make, place, or appoint. 

Envel'op, v., to cover round, to roll in or involve. F. e?ivelopper ; L. 
involvo, — in, and volvo, I roll or fold. 

Chrysalis (krjV-), n., the primary visible change of any species of 
worm to the fly state. L. chrysalis, a worm, of which comes the 
butterfly, from (G-.) chrysos, gold, — in allusion to the colour of sev- 
eral of that species. 

Emerge', v., to come forth, to rise out of (anything in which it is cov- 
ered). See " Emergency," p. 158. 

Glu'tinous, a., tenacious, viscid, gluey. F. glutineux, from (L.) glu- 
ten, glue, and this from (G-.) glia, any adhesive substance. 

Brocade', n., silk or satin striped with gold or silver. S. brocado ; 
F. brocard, from broche, the needle or bodkin used in embroidery. 

Vei/vet, n., silk with soft, short fur upon it. I. velluto, from villo, 
woolliness. 

Cli'mate, n., a term applied to a region differing in temperature 
from another. F. climat, from (G.) klima, the bending of the heav- 
ens, from klino, I bend. 

For "Lustre," see p. 103 ; and "Transparent," p. 142. 

1. Silk is the production of a caterpillar, and con- 
stitutes the covering in which it envelops itself when 
it changes from the larva or disguised state, to that 
of the chrysalis. From the latter inanimate condi- 
tion it emerges as a moth, and having laid its eggs, 
it soon dies. 

2. The cocoon, or web of the silk- worm, is an oval 
ball of silk, which it has spun out of a substance se- 
creted in its own body. The shades of the silk vary 
from the palest straw colour to deep yellow. In a 
state of nature the silk-worms form their cocoons 
upon the mulberry-tree itself, where they shine like 
golden fruits amidst the leaves : but the colder cli- 
mates of Europe will not allow of their being reared 
in the open air. They are, in consequence, kept in 
warm, but airy rooms, and fed with mulberry-leaves 
till they are fully grown. They change their skin 
several times while they are in the caterpillar state ; 
at length they become so full of the silky matter, that 
it gives them a yellowish tinge : they then cease to 
eat. At this indication of their approaching change, 



214 THIRD BOOK OF 

twigs are placed over them upon little stages of 
wicker-work, on which they immediately begin to 
form their webs. When these are finished, the 
downy matter on the outside, called floss, is taken 
off, and the cocoons are thrown into warm water, to 
dissolve the glutinous particles which had caused the 
silk to adhere : the ends of the threads being found, 
several are joined together and wound upon a reel ; 
this is called raw-silk. It next undergoes an opera- 
tion to cleanse it, and render it more supple; after 
which it is twisted into threads of different degrees 
of fineness, as required by the weaver ; in this state 
it is called thrown-silk. The excellence of silk, as a 
material for dress, consists in its strength, lightness, 
lustre, and its being capable of taking the finest 
dyes. Silk may be made into substances varying in 
thickness, from the finest transparent gauze to the 
richest velvets and brocades. Our manufacturers 
are supplied with silk chiefly from China, Persia, 
and Italy. France is the most northern climate in 
which silk is produced in any quantity. 

Mayo. 



LESSON III. 



nature's miracles 



What prodigies can Power Divine perform 
More grand, than it produces year by year, 
And all in sight of inattentive man ? 
Familiar with th' effect, we slight the cause, 
And, in the constancy of nature's course, 
And regular return of genial months, 
And renovation of a faded world, 



READING LESSONS. 215 

See nought to wonder at. Should God again, 

As once in Gabaon, interrupt the race 

Of the undeviating and punctual sun, 

How would the world admire ! But speaks it less 

An agency Divine, to make him know 

The moment when to sink, and when to rise, 

Age after age, than to arrest his course ? 

All we behold is miracle : but, seen 

So duly, all is miracle in vain. * 

"Where now the vital energy that moved, 

While summer was, the pure and subtile lymph 

Through th 5 imperceptible meandering veins 

Of leaf and flowV ? It sleeps ; and th 5 icy touch 

Of unprolific winter has impress'd 

A cold stagnation on the intestine tide. 

But, let the months go round, a few short months, 

And all shall be restored. These naked shoots, 

Barren as lances, among which the wind 

Makes wintry music, sighing as it goes, 

Shall put their graceful foliage on again, 

And more aspiring, and with ampler spread, 

Shall boast new charms, and more than they have lost. 

From death to plenty, and from death to life, 

Is nature's progress when she lectures man 

In heavenly truth ; evincing, as she makes 

The grand transition, that there lives and works 

A soul in all things, and that soul is God. 

The beauties of the wilderness are his, 

That makes so gay the solitary place, 

Where no eye sees them. And the fairer forms, 

That cultivation glories in, are his. 

He sets the bright procession on its way, 

And marshals all the order of the year; 

He marks the bounds, which Winter may not pass, 

And blunts his pointed fury : in its case, 



216 THIRD BOOK OF 

Russet and rude, folds up the tender germ 

Uninjured, with inimitable art : 

And, ere one flow'ry season fades and dies, 

Designs the blooming wonders of the next. 

The Lord of all, Himself through all diffused, 

Sustains, and is the life of all that lives. 

Nature is but a name for an effect, 

Whose cause is God. One spirit — His, 

Who wore the platted thorns with bleeding brows — 

Rules universal nature. Not a flow'r 

But shows some touch, in freckle, streak, or stain, 

Of his unrivalPd pencil. He inspires 

Their balmy odours, and imparts their hues, 

And bathes their eyes with nectar, and includes, 

In grains as countless as the sea-side sands, 

The forms with which he sprinkles all the earth. ♦ 

Happy who walks with him ! whom what he finds 

Of flavour or of scent in fruit or flow'r, 

Or what he views of beautiful or grand 

In nature, from the broad majestic oak 

To the green blade that twinkles in the sun, 

Prompts with remembrance of a present God. 

Cowpek. 



CHANCE. 

Chance can do nothing — there's no turn of earth, 
No, not the blowing of the summer-wind, 
Or the unstable sailing of a cloud, 
Much more the destiny of mighty states, 
But hath a will that orders it. 

Croly. 



READING LESSONS. 217 

LESSON IY. 

IRISH MUSIC. 

Intellect, n., the faculty of mind which perceives or understands. 
F. intellect ; from (L.) intelligere, — inter, and legere, to choose, — to 
choose between ; to see or perceive the difference between. 

Ex'quisite, a., consummate, perfect — consequently, such as would be 
selected or sought out. L. exquisitus, from exquiro, — ex, and quce- 
ro, I search, I examine. 

Effu'sions, n., the things (here, the sweet, harmonious sounds or 
strains) elicited from or poured out. F. effusions, from (L.) effundo, 
— ex, and /undo, I pour. 

Reten'tiveness, n., having the quality of retention, or of holding or 
keeping in the memory. (" Retention" and " Retentive" F.), from 
(L.) retineo, — re, and teneo, I hold, keep, or retain. 

Carrickfer'gus, w., a small town in Antrim, on a bay of the same 
name, noted for its castle : population about 4,000. Ir. Garraig, a 
rock, — the castle stands on a rock, — and Fergus, from a king said 
to have been drowned near it. 

Bard, n., a minstrel, a poet. The kind of song sung by the bards was 
called barditas, from G-er. barten, to fight ; because their business 
was to kindle warlike courage by their song. The Druids of Ire- 
land were likewise the poets, and were, by their learning, vastly 
superior to their continental brethren, who were forbidden to cul- 
tivate the use of letters. 

Psal'mody, n., the act of singing sacred songs to stringed or other 
instruments. L. psalmodia, from psallo, G., I touch (the strings), 
and aeido, I sing. 

Hypoth'esis, n., a supposition ; that which is placed under discussion. 
L. and G. hypothesis — hypo, or hupo, under, and tithemi, I put or 
place. 

Gratuitous, a., voluntary ; granted from mere kindness : — in this 
place, — asserted without proof. L. gratuities, from gratis, freely. 

Assumption, n., the supposition of anything without farther proof; 
the taking a thing for granted. F. assomption, from (L.) assicmo, 
— ad, and sumo, I take. 

For " Melody," see p. 189 ; " Medium," p. 168 ; " Monastery," p. 44 ; 
and " Missionary," p. 59. 

1. How little music, though so powerful in its in- 
fluence on the feelings, either springs from, or is de- 
pendant upon, intellect, appears from the fact, that 
some of the most exquisite effusions of this art have 
had their origin among people the most simple and 
unartificial ; nor can all that taste and science bring 

19 



218 THIRD BOOK OF 

afterwards to the task, do more, in general, than di- 
versify, by new combinations, those first wild strains 
of gaiety or passion into which nature had infused 
her original inspiration. In Greece, the sweetness 
of the ancient music had already been lost, when all 
the other arts were but on their way to perfection ; 
and from the account given by Giraldus Cambrensis 
of the Irish harpers of the twelfth century, it may 
be inferred that the melodies of the country, at the 
earlier period of which we are speaking, were, in 
some degree, like the first music of the infant age 
of Greece, and partook of the freshness of that morn- 
ing of mind and hope, which was then awakening 
around them. 

2. With respect to the structure of the ancient 
Irish harp, there does not appear to have been any- 
thing accurately ascertained ; but from that reten- 
tiveness of all belonging to the past which character- 
ised this people, it appears most probable that their 
favourite instrument w T as kept sacredly unaltered ; 
and remained the same, perhaps, in later times, when 
it charmed the ears of English poets and philosophers, 
as when it had been modulated by the bard, Cronan, 
in the sixth century, upon the banks of the lake 
Kee. 

3. It would appear that the church music, likewise, 
of the Irish, enjoyed no inconsiderable repute in the 
seventh century, as we find Gertrude, the daughter 
of the potent mayor of the palace, Pepin, sending to 
Ireland for persons qualified to instruct the nuns of 
the abbey of Nivelle in psalmody ; and the great 
monastery of Bangor, or Benchoir, near Carrickfer- 
gus, is supposed, by Ware, to have derived its name 
from the white choir which belonged to it. 



READING LESSONS. 219 

4. A certain sect of antiquarians, whose favourite 
object is to prove that the Irish Church was in no 
respect' connected with Rome, have imagined some 
mode by which, through the medium of Asiatic mis- 
sionaries, her chant, or psalmody, might have been 
derived to her directly from the Greeks. But their 
whole hypothesis is shown to be a train of mere gra- 
tuitous assumption ; and it is little doubted, that, 
before the introduction of the Latin or Gregorian 
chants by St. Malachy, which took place in the 
twelfth century, the style of music followed by the 
Irish, in their church-service, was that which had 
been introduced by St. Patrick and his companions 
from Gaul. 

Moore. 



LESSON V. 

AFRICA. v 

Af'rica, one of the great divisions of the world. It is three times 
as large as Europe, with only one-third the pop. of the latter. 
Africa has, therefore, only *7 inhabitants to the sq. m., Europe, 63 ; 
hence Europe is, relatively, 9 times, and absolutely, 3-J- times as 
populous as Africa. The name Africa was given sometimes to 
the Roman province, and sometimes to the vast tract W. of the 
Sinus Arabicus, or Red Sea. 

Bar'bary (States), a general name for the countries lying along the 
Southern coast of the Mediterranean, from the Atlantic to Egypt. 
The B. States are 2,700 m. long, and 150 m. broad; pop. 10 mil. 
Barbary is derived from the name of its ancient inhabitants, the 
Berbers. 

Moroc'co, an extensive empire in Barbary. Its chief town, Morocco, 
or Morakash, was founded in 1052. Morocco, in Ar. means the 
Extreme West, in reference to the other B. States. It formed, to- 
gether with Fez or Faz, the ancient Mauritania. 

Algiers', one of the B. States, and formerly the grand seat of pirati- 
cal warfare, is now in possession of the French. Its chief town is 
Algiers or Algier, from Al-Jezirah, the island (opposite the city), 
now connected with the city. A.N. Numidia. 

Tu'nis, Trip'oli, and Bar'ca, the remaining States of Barbary. The 
ancient Carthage stood near the first named. Tunis was called 
Africa Propria ; and, though small, had a greater number of 



220 THIRD BOOK OF 

towns than the other States, owing to its higher degree of civili- 
sation. A.N", of Tripoli, Tripolitana, and of Barca, Lybia, in which 
was the city of " Cyrene." 

E'gypt, Nu'iua, and Abyssin'ia, or the "Region of the Nile," is called 
K Eastern Africa, and comprises the countries bordering on the 
Red Sea. Egypt is supposed to have been first peopled by the 
immediate descendants of Cham, son of Noah. In lower Egypt 
was Alexandria, founded by Alexander the Great. In Upper 
Egypt was Thebae or Diospolis, said to have 100 gates. Egypt 
contains 150,000 sq. m., the habitable part of which lies along the 
Delta, or valley of the Nile, and is 4,500 sq. m. in area, with a 
pop. of 2 mil. A.N. ^Egyptus. Nubia contains 360,000 sq. m. ; 
pop. 2 mil. Abyssinia is twice the area of Egypt, with more 
than double its pop. Nubia and Abyssinia were the ancient 
JEthiopia. 

Nile, a celebrated river of N. Eastern Africa, formed by the junc- 
tion of two great streams — the' Bahr-el-Azrek, or Blue River, from 
the S.E., and the Bahr-el-Abiad, or White River, from the S.W. 
At the point of junction, the former is 1,300 feet in breadth, the 
latter 1,800. The Delta is formed by these two branches. 

Senegam'bia, a country of Western Africa, so called from the rivers 
Senegal and Gambia — the former 950, the latter 690 miles in 
length — which flow through it into the Atlantic. 

Caffra'ria, a country of Southern Africa. Caffraria signifies the 
country of the Caffres or Infidels ; the natives call themselves the 
Koussis, and will not recognise any other name. 

Oasis or Auasis (o'-a-sis), a Coptic or Egyptian word, preserved by 
the Arabs, signifying a small, inhabited tract, surrounded by vast 
deserts, like an island in the ocean. 

1. Africa, considered in relation to its place on 
the map of the world, forms an extensive continent, 
situated nearly in the centre of the earth. It is 
bounded, north, by the Mediterranean Sea ; west, by 
the Atlantic Ocean ; south, by the Southern Ocean ; 
and east, by the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea, and the 
Isthmus of Suez. Its length from the Mediterranean 
Sea to the Cape of Good Hope, is nearly 5,000 miles ; 
and its greatest breadth, from Cape Verde to Cape 
Guardafui, about 4,500. It contains eleven millions 
of square miles, and a population of seventy millions. 
Its principal divisions are, Barbary, comprehending 
Barca, Tripoli, Tunis, Algiers, Fez, and Morocco; 
Sahara, or the Great Desert, Senegambia, Upper 
Guinea, and Lower Guinea ; Cape Colony, Caffraria, 



HEADING LESSONS. 221 

and the country of the Hottentots ; Mocaranga, Mo- 
zambique, Zanguebar, Ajan, Abyssinia, Nubia, and 
Egypt ; and Negroland or Nigritia, or (as the Arabs 
call it) Soudan, comprehending Timbuctoo, Bam- 
barra, Houssa, Bournou, and Darfur. The interior 
and the southern part of Africa were totally unknown 
to the great nations of antiquity. There is no reason 
to suppose, that they thought of extending their con- 
quests to regions which, on account of the intense 
heat of the sun, they deemed uninhabitable. To the 
Portuguese, who, in the close of the fifteenth century 5 
discovered and sailed round the Cape of Good Hope, 
are we indebted for our first knowledge of the shape 
and extent of this continent. They remained stran- 
gers, however, to the interior of the country, and 
notwithstanding the enterprise of modern travellers, 
we are yet comparatively unacquainted with these 
vast regions ; the excessive heat of the climate, the 
burning sands of the deserts, and the total absence of 
interior communication by water, presenting insuper- 
able obstacles to our inquiries. One peculiarity of 
Africa is, that it is situated almost entirely within 
the torrid zone, and thus placed under the immedi- 
ate dominion of the sun, the consequence of which 
is, that at least one half of this vast continent is con- 
verted into hot and sandy deserts. 

2. The Sahara, or Great Desert, with the exception 
of the long and narrow valley of the Nile, extends 
across the entire continent, presenting a dry and 
arid waste, in which, for several days, the traveller 
meets not a single drop of water, nor the slightest 
trace of life or vegetation. The sands are occasion- 
ally raised in large masses, which roll along like the 
waves of the ocean, and beneath which, it is said, 
large caravans, and even whole tribes, have been 

19* 



222 THIRD BOOK OF 

sometimes buried. Small spots of great beauty and 
fertility, called oases, are interspersed through this 
vast desert, which serve as agreeable resting places 
for the traveller. They are densely peopled, carefully 
cultivated, and governed by petty princes. 

3. The countries bordering on the Mediterranean 
were distinguished in ancient history. Egypt had 
attained a high degree of civilisation at a very re- 
mote period ; and Carthage, the first commercial 
nation of antiquity, disputed with Rome the empire 
of the w r orld. These countries are remarkable for 
their fertility, and might, under proper culture, be 
made to vie with the most favoured regions of the 
earth. The countries along the eastern and western 
coasts are also fruitful, producing the most delicious 
fruits, and plants of extraordinary size. 

4. The Nile is the only river in Africa, of any 
considerable magnitude, which falls into the Med- 
iterranean Sea. The rivers which flow into the At- 
lantic are numerous, but inconsiderable when com- 
pared with the great rivers of other continents. The 
principal are — the Niger, Senegal, Gambia, Rio 
Grande, Congo, and Orange. The Zambezi flows 
into the Indian Ocean. The termination of the 
Niger was long unknown ; it is now generally be- 
lieved, that after a course nearly as long as that of 
the Nile, it flows through different mouths into the 
Gulf of Benin. Numberless African rivers never 
reach the ocean, but terminate in lakes, or are lost 
in the sand. 

5. The mountains of Africa are more remarkable 
for their breadth than height ; they form, as it were, 
one great jplateau, presenting towards each coast a 
succession of terraces, on which, during the rainy 



READING LESSONS. 22 



Q 



season, immense sheets of water, or temporary lakes, 
are formed. These overflow their boundaries, and 
pour down large volumes of water, which cause the 
regular annual overflowing of the Nile, the Niger, 
the Senegal, and of many minor rivers. 

6. Africa, considered either in a political or moral 
point of view, occupies the lowest place among the 
divisions of the earth. It contains three distinct va- 
rieties of inhabitants : in the north, the Moors, de- 
scended from the Mahometan Arabs, resembling Eu- 
ropeans, except in their complexion, which is dark ; 
in the middle, the Negroes, distinguished by their 
black skin, thick lips, and woolly hair ; and in the 
south and south-east, the Caffres, varying in complex- 
ion, from a yellowish brown to a shining black, and 
having the hair and features less strongly marked 
with the Negro character. C. B. 



LESSON VI. 



THE SEVEN CHURCHES GLENDALOUGH. 

Seques'tered, a., retired, lonely, secluded. L. sequestratus, from se- 
quester, an arbitrator, from sequor, I follow — because the judgment 

of an arbitrator is followed by each party. 
(tno'mon, n., the hand or index of a sun-dial ; one who, or that which, 

points out. F. L. and G. gnomon, from gignosko, G., I know. 
Gran'ite, n., a kind of stone, so called on account of the distinctness 

and minuteness of its grains. F. granit, from granum, L., a grain. 
Controversy, n., disputation, debate. L. controversial from contra, 

and verto, I turn, I overturn. 
Thrill'ing, a., piercing ; penetrating : the term is applied to what 

produces a tremulous motion or tingling sensation : from A.S. 

thirlian, to thrill, to pierce. 
Im'pulse, n., influence acting on the mind ; motive ; communicated 

force. L. impulsus, — im, and pulsus, from pulsmn, p. pt. of pello, 

I drive. 
Fra'grance, n., a grateful odour ; sweetness of smell. L. fragrantia, 

from fragere, to smell sweetly. 



224: THIED BOOK OF 

The'atre (-tur), n., a place in which shows are exhibited ;.$. playhouse. 

F. theatre ; G. theatron, from theaomai, I behold. 
Sublimity, n., greatness, excellence, loftiness. F. sublimite, from 

sublimis, L., lofty. 
Econ'omy, n., wise arrangement, management, or government of. I. 

and S. economia, from (G.) oikos, a house, and nomos, a law. 
For " Foliage," see p. 42 ; " Dissipation," p. 59 ; " Fundamental," p. 

199; " Novelty," p. 186. 

1. A gentle morning in spring beheld the writer 
descending the sequestered road which leads to the 
valley of the Seven Churches. This exquisite scene 
of loneliness and gloom was cheered at the moment 
by a partial gleam of sunshine, which shone on the 
deserted churches, and flung the shadow of the round 
tower, a " gnomon raised by time to count his cen- 
turies," across the uneven plain on which it stands. 
I paused to look upon the lake which lay beyond 
the ruins ; a cold and motionless expanse of water, 
prisoned in by mountains of rugged granite, with 
scanty traces of foliage to qualify the rudeness of the 
clifted heights. Yet there was more of a religious 
sadness than of sternness or terror in the character 
of the scene. It was a fitting solitude for the abode 
of those who fled to its quiet sanctuaries in ages long 
gone by, to repair the passionate excesses of early 
life, or to preserve their youthful innocence, and 
meditate in sorrow, rather than in anger, on the 
thoughtlessness of men. 

2. Here it is, returning from the turmoil of Lon- 
don, and agitating pursuits, that the wanderer feels 
all the folly and idleness of the life which he has led; 
that his heart sickens at the recollection of the dis- 
sipation of cities ; that he opens his soul to nature 
as to a long-forsaken mother, and thinks, with an 
aching bosom, of the purity, the simplicity, the reli- 
gious regularity of his childhood. Here it is, that 
we seem once more, in the keenness of awakened 



READING LESSONS. 225 

memory, to lose those friends that have been snatched 
away from us by death or distance ; that the still re- 
proaches of that mysterious principle in our nature, 
which points to the eternal object of our existence, 
steal upward through the tumult of our passions and 
our interests, and speak to our hearts like the voice 
of a long-forgotten friend. The rocks and woods, the 
lakes and waterfalls, the ruins and the sober day- 
light, and the whisper of the persuasive wind, ill 
scenes like this, convince the heart more readily 
than volumes of ingenious controversy, read over 
with aching head and weary eyes in the midnight 
chamber. 

3. Here we feel the truth that is too bright even 
for the eagle-eye of reason to contemplate. Ambi- 
tion seems a dream, philosophy a guess ; our spirit 
seems to mount above its tenement, and to behold 
the passions, the faculties, the sciences, and the oc- 
cupations of man, at that leisurely elevation, w T here 
alone it can become acquainted with their relative 
value. Here we discover all the superiority of virtue 
over knowledge, and remember, with all that zest 
which feeling gives, even to the oldest truths, those 
fundamental principles of virtue, which, in our days 
of feverish inquiry, we were accustomed to despise 
for their want of novelty. 

4. As the thrilling music of the Christian churches 
first drew those tears from the pyes of St. Augustin, 
which he afterwards shed from a purer and loftier 
impulse ; so here we are won back to the love of in- 
nocence by the poetry of nature. She reproaches us 
with having so long preferred, to her infinite varie- 
ties of form and colour, of sound and fragrance, the 
coarseness of scenic imitations, and all the low arti- 



226 THIRD BOOK OF 

ficial mockeries of her excellence, which the palaces 
of art present to us. She seems to open her arms, 
and invite its to " return I" to blush for the meanness 
of our taste ; to forsake the theatre, the picture gal- 
lery, the library ; and to study character in her towns 
and villages, beauty in her plains and valleys, sub- 
limity in her mountains, and wisdom in the economy 
of her mighty system. G. Geiffin. 

5. Glestdalough. — The lone and singularly wild 
valley of Glendalough, in the county of Wicklow, 
lying at a distance of about twenty-four miles from 
the metropolis, presents a scene which, for stern and 
desolate grandeur, is in many respects unsurpassed. 
Huge, gloomy mountains, upon which clouds almost 
continually rest, encompass, and in some places over- 
hang, the silent and almost uninhabited glen. Two 
little lakes, now appearing in the deepest shadow, 
now reflecting the blue vault, according as the clouds 
above them come or go, — a winding stream, and grey 
rocks jutting here and there from out the heath, — 
form its natural features. A noble monastic estab- 
lishment, round which a city subsequently rose, 
flourished, and decayed, was founded here in the 
early part of the sixth century by St. Kevin. The 
ruins of many ecclesiastical structures yet remain, 
and " the long, continuous shadow of the lofty and 
slender Round Tower moves slowly, from morn till 
eve, over wasted churches, crumbling oratories, shat- 
tered crosses, scathed yew trees, and tombs, now un- 
distinguishable, of bishops, abbots, and anchorites." 
How few of the gay tourists by whom the glen is 
yearly visited, view these ruins with any other feel- 
ing than that of idle and ignorant curiosity ! Their 
ears have been poisoned with the burlesque and lying 



READING LESSONS. 227 

tales (inventions of the last half century) which the 
wretched men and women, miscalled guides of the 
place, have composed for the entertainment of the 
thoughtless. They wander unmoved among shrines 
which, nearly thirteen centuries ago, were raised in 
honour of their God, by men joyous and thankful in 
the feeling of certain immortality, — men whose fa- 
thers in their youth had reverenced the Druid as a 
more than human counsellor. 

Wakeman. 



LESSON VII. 



ON MAMMALIA. 

Mamma'lia, n., that class or species of animals that are nourished, 
while young, at the breast or paps. Mammalia, from mamma, L., 
a breast, a mother: G. mamme, a mother. 

Articula'tions, n., the junctures or joints of bones. F. articulations ; 
L. articulus, a little joint, as a finger, from artus, a limb, a large 
member, as an arm. 

Elong'ated, pt., made long ; distinct from " extensible" which means 
capable of being made long, or stretched into length or breadth. 
See "Longitudinal," p. 18. 

Or'gan, n., that by which anything can be done ; a natural instru- 
ment: the touch, sight, &c, are orgoMs or instruments of sense. 
F. organe ; G. organon, from orga, from ergein (ob.), to do. 

Mastica'tion, n., the act of chewing, bruising, or crushing the food 
with the teeth. F. mastication. L. masticare (ob. v.), to chew. 

Al'iment, n., food. F. aliment, from alo, L., I nourish. 

Ver'tical, a., a term applied to what is in (or acts in, as in this place) 
a downward direction ; a point, perpendicular to the horizon, in 
the zenith, or immediately overhead. F. and S. vertical ; L. ver- 
tex, the head or top of anything, the pole of the world, that upon 
which anything turns. — from verto, I turn. 

Horizontal, a., level, even with the ground ; parallel to the horizon. 
F. horizontal. See "Horizon," p. 187. 

Herbiv'orous, a., herb-eating, as graminivorous is grass-eating, or 

living upon grsss. F. herbe ; L. herba, an herb, and voro, I devour, 

from bora, G., food. 

A>:te'rior, a., before ; sometimes (as here) used relatively to position 

or situation, and sometimes to time. L. anterior, from ante, before. 



228 THIRD BOOK OF 

1. The mammalia are placed at the head of the 
animal kingdom, not only because it is the class to 
which we ourselves belong, but also because all the 
species included in it enjoy the most numerous facul- 
ties, the most delicate sensations, and the most varied 
powers of motion. 

2. As the quantity of respiration in the mammalia 
is moderate, so, generally speaking, these animals 
are formed for walking on the earth, but, at the same 
time, with great force and permanence of exertion. 
To this end, all the articulations of their frame have 
strictly defined conformations, which determine all 
their motions with rigorous precision. Some, how- 
ever, can raise themselves in the air by means of 
limbs considerably elongated, and connected by ex- 
tensible membranes. Others, again, have their limbs 
so much shortened that they can move with facility 
in the water only ; but these circumstances by no 
means deprive them of the essential characters of the 
class to which they belong. 

3. The most essential differences of the mammalia 
among themselves are, first, in the organs of touch, 
on which the dexterity of the animal mainly depends; 
and secondly, in those of mastication, which deter- 
mine the nature of the aliment proper to every spe- 
cies. On these essential characters is founded the 
division of the mammalia into orders. Everything 
relating to the digestive functions is closely connect- 
ed with these characters. The degree of perfection 
of the organs of touch may be estimated according 
to the number and moveableness of the fingers, and 
according to the greater or less proportion of depth 
in which their extremity is enclosed in the claw or 
hoof. A hoof which completely envelops that part 



READING LESSONS. 229 

of the extremity which would otherwise touch the 
ground, blunts the power of tact, and renders such 
extremity incapable of seizing anything. The oppo- 
site extreme to this is, when a nail forms a single 
lamina on one side of the end of the finger or toe 
only, leaving to the other all its sensibility. 

4. The nature of the diet may be judged of by the 
cheek-teeth, to the form of which the articulation of 
the jaws invariably corresponds. For cutting flesh, 
the cheek-teeth are trenchant like a saw, and the jaws 
are fitted together so as to move in the manner of a 
pair of scissors, and are incapable of any other mo- 
tion than that of simply opening and closing again 
in a vertical direction. The cheek-teeth adapted for 
the mastication of grains or roots, have a flattish 
round upper surface, or rather the shape of a flat 
coronet ; and the jaws possess the capacity of hori- 
zontal motion. That the surface of such cheek-teeth 
should keep that sort of inequality peculiar to a mill- 
stone, their substance is composed of unequal hard- 
ness, some of which parts wear sooner than others. 

5. The hoofed animals are all of necessity herbiv- 
orous, and possess teeth of this description, because 
the conformation of their feet will not permit them 
to seize a living prey. Animals with unguiculated 
or clawed fingers or toes are susceptible of great va- 
riations in their modes of subsistence. Independent- 
ly of the form of the cheek-teeth, these animals differ 
materially among themselves in the power of touch, 
and the facility with which the fingers and toes can 
be put in motion. There is one characteristic which 
has a prodigious influence on the dexterity of the an- 
imals possessed of it, and multiplies greatly, or va- 
ries, its modes of action. It is the faculty of oppos- 

20 



230 THIRD BOOK OF 

ing a thumb to the other fingers, and of being thus 
enabled to seize with facility the smallest objects. 
This it is which constitutes what is properly called a 
hand, which is found in its highest degree of perfec- 
tion in the human species, among whom the anterior 
extremities are altogether at liberty, and are thus ca- 
pable of being more effectually employed in the act 
of prehension. These different combinations, which 
strictly determine the nature of the various animals 
of this class, have given rise to their divisions into 
orders. 

Cuvier. 



LESSON YIII. 

THE VARIOUS USES OF TREES ^ND PLANTS. 

Subser/vient, a., subordinate ; the term is applied to what subserves, 
or serves under, another thing as an instrument : — from L. subser- 
vio, — sub, and servio, I serve, I am a slave. 

Sus'tenance, n., food, maintenance, support. F. sustentation, from 
(L.) susiineo, — sub, and teneo, I hold, I support. 

Fabricated, pt., manufactured, fashioned, formed. L. fabricatus, 
from fa b er, L., a workman. 

Couch (koutsh), n., a seat of repose. F. couche, from cubo, L., I lie 
down. 

Husbandry (huz'-), n., tillage (in this place) : it also means the thrifty, 
provident management of the husbandman. Ry is a termination 
expressive of an act or employment. Husbonde (Dan.), a husband, 
is said to be from (A.S.) hus, a house, and bua, to conduct: or, 
from house, and band, — one bound to a house or farm, — a bondman. 

Ref'use, n., anything refused or rejected. F. refus, from (v.) refuser, 
and this from refutare (ob.), re, and futare, to pour, — to pour back, 
to reject. 

Gob' let, n., a cup containing a large quantity for one opening of the 
mouth, for one draught or swallow. F. and D. gobelet, akin to (Ir.) 
gob, a mouth, and gobbet, a mouthful. 

Soc'ket, n., the stem or trunk, or whatever else has an incision or hol- 
low, in which anything is fixed or inserted. F. souchette, a diminu- 
tive of souche, the stock or trunk. 

Co'piously, ad., plentifully, abundantly. L. copiose, from copia, 
plenty 



READING LESSONS. 231 

Administer, v., contribute, dispense. F. administrer, from minister, 
L., a servant, an assistant, which is from minor, less, as magister, 
master, from inagis, more. 

For " Stupendous," see p. 17 ; "Specimens," p. 26 ; " Asylum," p. 135 ; 
"Inhabitants," p. 89; "Climate," p. 213; "Agreeable," p. 177; 
"Tropical," p. 26; "Egypt," p. 220 ; "Arabia and Persia," pp. 194, 
195 ; "Medicinal," p. 35 ; " Fibres," p. 137 ; and "Appendages," p. 51. 

1. Trees, those stupendous specimens of creative 
art, spread not their wide-extended roots nor lift their 
lofty heads in vain. Beneath their cooling shades 
our flocks and herds find a comfortable asylum from 
the scorching rays of the summer sun. The wild 
stragglers of the forest have a place of rest among 
their woods and thickets ; whilst the feathery song- 
sters of the grove build their little dwellings in se- 
curity, and sing among their branches ; " as for the 
stork, the fir-trees are her house." But in what a 
variety of respects, besides affording the inhabitants 
of warm climates an agreeable shelter from the mid- 
day heat, do those, and the different members of the 
shrubby race, yield their services, or are made sub- 
servient to the use of man ! 

2. The bread-fruit-tree of the Pacific Ocean, the 
date-palms which wave along the coasts of the Medi- 
terranean, the calabash of the West Indies, and cocoa- 
nut-tree of the East Indies, the cabbage-tree of East 
Florida, and the maguey or mati-tree of New Spain, 
and the accommodating pawpaw, which grows in 
tropical climates, both of the western and eastern 
world, are each rendered remarkable for the number 
of other useful properties they possess, besides con. 
tributing their services, in the way of most suitable 
food, to the inhabitants of those climes, in which they 
severally grow. During a considerable portion, of 
the year, the bread-fruit-tree affords the chief suste- 
nance of the Society-Islanders, it being in season 



232 THIRD BOOK OF 

eight months of the year. The natives of these islands 
collect it without the smallest trouble ; they have 
only to climb the trees to gather its fruit. A kind of 
cloth is fabricated from the bark ; the leaves are 
converted into towels and wrappers ; the wood is 
made into boats and houses, and a kind of cement is 
prepared by boiling the juice in cocoa-nut oil. 

3. Nearly every part of the date-tree may be con- 
verted to some useful purpose. A considerable part 
of the inhabitants of Egypt, of Arabia, of Persia, 
subsist almost entirely on its fruit, and it is also es- 
teemed for its medicinal virtues. From the leaves 
they make couches, baskets, mats, bags, and brushes ; 
from the branches, cages and fences ; from the fibres 
of the boughs, thread, ropes, and rigging ; from the 
sap, a spirituous liquor ; from the wood, which also 
furnishes fuel, the beams and rafters of houses, as 
well as some implements of husbandry, are con- 
structed. The stones are ground to make oil, and 
the refuse is given to the cattle. The shell of the 
fruit of the calabash is employed in the manufacture 
of water-vessels, goblets, and cups of almost every 
description. So hard and close-grained is the cala- 
bash, that, when it contains any kind of fluid, it may 
even, it is said, be put on the fire without injury. A 
medicinal juice is extracted from this useful plant; 
and of it the Indians construct some of their musical 
instruments. 



LESSON IX. 

[JSES OF TREES AND PLANTS (CONTINUED). 

1. The cocoa-nut-tree supplies the inhabitants of 
the countries in which it grows, with bread, milk, 



READING LESSONS. 233 

and oil ; it affords them a strong spirit, vinegar, and 
barm ; timber to build their huts, and thatch to 
cover them. The shell is a useful article among 
their household vessels, and the coarse fibrous husk 
surrounding it, as well as the bark itself, is made into 
cloth and cordage. Of the wood of the cocoa-nut- 
tree, sewed together with a yarn spun from the bark, 
a vessel is constructed ; of the same wood the mast 
is formed ; of the bark and fibrous covering of the 
shell, the sails are woven ; so that from the different 
parts of this valuable vegetable, the whole vessel, as 
well as the habitations of the natives of the cocoa- 
nut islands, are completed. There is a fibrous sub- 
stance in the leaves of the cabbage-tree, which is 
sometimes spun like hemp into different kinds of 
cordage. The sockets and grooves, formed by the 
broad part of the footstalks of the leaves, are used by 
the negroes as cradles for their children. The trunks, 
when cleared of the pith, serve as water-pipes and gut- 
ters, and of the pith a kind of sago is manufactured. 
2. The maguey or mati-tree affords to the natives 
of New Spain, where it grows copiously, water, wine, 
oil, vinegar, honey, syrup, thread, needles, &c. In 
short, there are no less than nineteen services, which 
this tree, though small, yields to the inhabitants. 
The leaves serve for covering their houses ; out of its 
roots strong and thick ropes are made; and a fine 
yarn may be spun out of the fibres of the leaves, 
which, being converted into cloth, serves for the pur- 
pose of clothing. The bark of the pawpaw-tree is 
manufactured by the Indians into cordage. The 
leaves are used as soap, and the stem is converted 
into water-pipes. It is said that a small quantity of 
the juice, when rubbed upon butcher's meat, renders 
it tender, without hurting its quality. 

20* 



234 THIRD BOOK OF 

3. The plantain and the banana, the sago^palm 
and the sugar-cane of the tropical regions, as well as 
the fig-tree of the east, and the sugar-maple of North 
America, and the cow-tree mentioned by Humboldt, 
and the butter-tree of Mungo Park, and the coffee 
and the tea-tree, and an endless variety of others, 
contribute to our wants in the form of food. We 
have already noticed the pitcher-plant, besides which, 
there are several others, which yield a supply of re- 
freshing w r ater. However, we must not let these 
remarkable instances carry away our thoughts from 
the no less useful, though much more common, 
blessings of Providence, in these respects. But it is 
not only in the form of meat and drink, that these 
vegetable appendages on the surface of the earth ad- 
minister their services ; for it is well known, that we 
are indebted to the cotton-plants of America and the 
Indies, for our calicoes and muslins, our fustians and 
corduroys, and other articles of clothing. 

Popular Philosophy. 



LESSON X. 

THE ^OLIAN HARP. 

^Eo'lian Harp, n., an oblong, stringed instrument, played upon by 

the winds. JEolus was the god of the winds, and king of the 

jEolian islands, so called from him : — D. and F. harpe ; A.S. hearpe, 

from Itearpian, to harp or play. 
Violin', n., a fiddle ; a stringed musical instrument. F. violon, from I. 

and S. viola, a stringed instrument, traced to Jidicula, L., from fides, 

of the same signification. 
U'nison, n., harmony, concord ; a single sound. F. unisson, from unus, 

L., one, and sono, I sound. 
Bass or Base (both pr. bayse), n., a low, deep sound. Ger. and F. 

has ; I. basso, from (G.) basis, a foot — the lowest part of anything. 
Vi'brates, v., moves to and fro with a tremulous motion ; shakes : 

from vibro, L., I brandish, I shake. 



READING LESSONS. 235 

Suspend'ed, pt., hung up. L. suspensus, from sursum, upward (or 
sub, i.e., from below), and pendeo, I hang. 

Fluctuating, a., moving like a wave ; rolling backward and forward 
with uncertain motion. L. jluctuans, from fluo, I flow. 

Con'cert, n., a symphony or harmony of mingled sounds, elicited from 
a number of instruments united in the same performance. F. con- 
cert, — of dubious etymology. 

Illustration, n., elucidation, explanation. F. illustration. See 
" Illustrious," p. 144. 

Super xat ' ural, a., more than, or above what, is natural. F. sur- 
naturel, from (L.) super, above, and natura. See p. 122. 

For " Alternately," see p. 28. For derivation of " Recede," see " Re- 
ceding," p. Ill ; of " Intelligible," see " Intelligence," p. 114 ; and 
of " Commune/'.see " Communion," p. 44. 

1. The ^Eolian Harp is a long box or case of light 
wood, with harp or violin strings extended on its 
face. These are generally tuned in perfect nnison 
with each other, or to the same pitch, as it is ex- 
pressed, except one, serving as bass, which is thicker 
than the others, and vibrates only half as fast ; but 
when the harp is suspended among trees, or in any 
other situation where the fluctuating breeze may reach 
it, each string, according to the manner in which it 
receives the blast, sounds either entire, or breaks 
into some of the simple divisions above described ; 
the result of which is, the production of the most 
pleasing combination and succession of sounds that 
ear has ever listened to, or fancy, perhaps, conceived. 
After a pause, this fairy harp may be heard begin- 
ning with a low and solemn note, like the bass of 
distant music in the sky : the sound then swells as 
if approaching, and other tones break forth, mingling 
with the first and with each other : in the combined 
and varying strain, sometimes one clear note pre- 
dominates, and sometimes another, as if single mu- 
sicians alternately led the band ; and the concert 
often seems to approach and again to recede, until 
with the unequal breeze it dies away, and all is 
hushed again. 



236 THIRD BOOK OF 

2. It is no wonder that the ancients, who under- 
stood not the nature of air, nor consequently even of 
simple sound, should have deemed the music of the 
iEolian harp supernatural, and, in their warm imagi- 
nations, should have supposed that it was the strain 
of invisible beings from above, come down in the 
stillness of evening or night, to commune with men 
in a heavenly language of soul, intelligible to both. 
But even now, that we understand it well, there are 
few persons so insensible to what is delicate and 
beautiful in nature, as to listen to this wild music 
without emotion ; while the informed ear finds it 
additionally delightful, as affording an admirable 
illustration of those laws of sound which human in- 
genuity at last has traced. 

Arnott. 

fragment. 

Lull'd in the countless chambers of the brain, 
Our thoughts are link'd by many a hidden chain ; 
Awake but one, and lo ! what myriads rise ! 
Each stamps its image as the other "flies ! 
Each, as the various avenues of sense, 
Delight or sorrow to the soul dispense, 
Brightens, or fades, yet all with magic art 
Control the latent fibres of the heart. 

Rogers. 



LESSON XL 



AMERICA. 



Chrts'topher, n., one who carries Christ. G. Christopheros, — Chris 

to.% Christ, or the Anointed, and phero, I carry. 
Arc'tic O'cean (-shun), the vast expanse of water lying N\ of Europe, 

Asia, and America, joining the Pacific at Bhering's Straits. L. 

Arcticus, northern, — lying near the polar star which is in the con- 



READING LESSONS. 237 

stellation of the Bear, — from (G.) arktos, a bear. F. ocean, per- 
haps from (G-.) okus, swift, and naein, to flow. 

Tierra del Fuego (tee-er'-ra-del-foo-e'-go), an island of S. America 
separated from Patagonia by the Straits of Magellan. From the 
number of volcanoes observed in it by the first navigators who 
explored its coast, they styled it Tierra del Fuego, the " land of 
fire." 

Colom'bia, one of the great divisions of S. A. ; area P/s mil. sq. m., 
with 3Vs nail, of inhabitants : — sometimes the appellation is given 
to the entire continent. Colombia, from Columbus, the discov- 
erer : — L. columbus, a dove. 

Brazil', a country of S. A., 3 mil. sq. m. in area, with a pop. of 7 
mil. ; — or, 1 5 times the size of France, with only Vsth of its pop. 
Brazil, so named from the abundance of brazil-wood first found 
there. 

Boliv'ia, the republic of Upper Peru, 400,000 sq. m. in area ; pop. 
about IV4 mil. Bolivia, from Bolivar, who effected its indepen- 
dence: he died in 1830. 

Patago'nia, the name of the southern extremity of S. A., 350,000 
sq. m. in area, with a pop. of 500,000. It was formerly called 
Magellan's Land, from the discoverer ; now Patagonia, from the 
Patagons, an Indian tribe. 

Mississippi, a river of N. A., which forms, with its tributaries, one 
of the greatest water-systems in the world, draining an area of 
country of about P/io mil. sq. m. Mississippi, " Father of Waters." 

Am'azon, a river of S. A., 4,700 miles in length, and navigable 2,000 
in a direct line from the ocean. It receives the waters of 200 
rivers in its course, some of which are as large as the Danube, and 
drains upwards of 2,400,000 sq. m. Orellano called the country 
along the river, Amazonia, — the land of Amazons, — a name given 
to some heroines of antiquity, who resided near the Caspian Sea 
in Asia, and of whom he was reminded by companies of armed 
women, whom he saw on its shores : — whence the name of the 
river. • 

An'des, a stupendous mountain- chain in S. A., extending from the 
Straits of Magellan to the Isthmus of Darien. The mountains of 
N". A. may be regarded as a continuation of the Andes, the whole 
chain, therefore, extends upwards of .9,000 miles. Andes, from a 
Peruvian word — anti, signifying copper. 

1. This great division of land is called the New 
World, because discovered at a comparatively recent 
period. It was unknown to the Europeans until 
1492, when it was discovered by Christopher Colum- 
bus, a Genoese, in the service of Spain, in attempt- 
ing to explore a western passage to the East Indies. 
In the following year, Amerigo Vespucci sailed 
thither, and, from the interesting account w T hich he 
gave of the country, the whole continent has obtained 



238 THIRD BOOK OF 

his name. It is naturally divided into two great 
portions, called by geographers, North and South 
America. Its mountains, rivers, forests, and lakes, 
are on scales of the first magnitude ; and, as a whole, 
it is the longest mass of land on the globe, extending 
from Cape Horn to the Arctic Ocean, a distance of 
nearly 9,000 miles. 

2. North America extends in length from ten de- 
grees north latitude towards the polar regions, 4,500 
miles ; its breadth from east to west is nearly 3,500 
miles. Its superficial area, including the West India 
Islands, may be estimated at about nine millions of 
square miles, or more than double the size of Europe. 
Its principal divisions are, Russian America, British 
America, United States, Mexico, Guatimala, and the 
West India Islands. South America reaches from 
the Caribbean Sea to Cape Horn : its length from 
north to south is 4,600 miles ; its breadth from east 
to west, 3,160 ; and its superficial area, including 
Tierra del Fuego and other islands, is computed at 
eight millions of square miles. It comprises Colom- 
bia, Guiana, Brazil, Peru, Bolivia or Upper* Peru, 
Paraguay, Banda Oriental, La Plata,. Chili, and 
Patagonia. 

3. The stupendous mountain-chain which traverses 
this continent from north to south, is composed of 
several great groups and series of chains, enclosing 
vast plains. The great rivers of both divisions have 
their sources in the mountains, and the intermediate 
plains form the basins of these immense currents of 
fresh water. The valleys of the Mississippi and Mis- 
souri are bounded on the west by the Pocky Moun- 
tains, and on the east by the Alleghanies. The Rio 
de la Plata {River of Silver) flows in a great central 



READING LESSONS. 239 

valley running from north to south, and may be 
compared to the valley of the Mississippi ; while the 
Amazon, the great drain of the low lands that stretch 
from the Andes to the Atlantic, may be compared to 
the St. Lawrence of North America. This beautiful 
river, the outlet of the Canadian Seas, 2,000 miles 
long, and 90 miles broad at its mouth, is navigable 
for the largest vessels, 400 miles from the ocean. 
The Mississippi, double the length of the St. Law- 
rence, drains a surface of a million of square miles ; 
and yet, the vast quantity of water which these rivers 
pour into the Atlantic is inconsiderable when com- 
pared -with the immense volumes discharged into it 
by the Amazon and La Plata. 

4. The Andes assume their greatest elevation in 
the vicinity of Quito ; and what is commonly called 
the Valley of Quito, is, in reality, a vast plateau, or 
table-land, as high as the loftiest summits of the 
Pyrenees, bounded by stupendous mountains, whose 
peaks are from 18,000 to 20,000 feet above the level 
of the sea. Here the most considerable volcanoes of 
the • Andes are situated, of which Cotopaxi is the 
highest and most remarkable, and its explosions the 
most dreadful. In form it is the most regular and 
beautiful of all the summits of the Andes, being that 
of a perfect cone. At sunset its appearance is one of 
the most splendid scenes in nature ; its snow-clad 
sides reflect the parting rays of the sun, and shine 
with dazzling lustre against the azure vault of heaven. 
Cayambe ranks next to the celebrated Chimborazo in 
elevation ; its form is that of a cone, truncated or 
shortened : it is crossed by the equator, and stands, 
says Humboldt, " like one of the colossal and eternal 
mountains placed by the hand of nature to mark the 
grand divisions of the globe." From the burning 



24:0 THIRD BOOK OF 

• 

plains to the snow-clad summits of America, all the 
climates and natural productions of our hemisphere 
are exhibited in miniature, and the zones of the 
mountains, as they increase in elevation, produce 
everything as varied and as peculiar to themselves, 
as the different zones or climates of the earth. 

5. The lakes of America, like its mountains and 
rivers, are on the grandest scale. Lake Superior ex- 
ceeds in extent every other body of fresh w^ter at 
present known in the world. Its length is about 400 
miles, and its breadth, 160. It receives the waters 
of about forty rivers, some of which are of consider- 
able magnitude. The water of this lake is remark- 
able for its great transparency, so that fish may be 
seen at a vast depth. 

6. The aborigines, or earliest inhabitants of Amer- 
ica, are distinguished from their Asiatic progenitors 
or ancestors by the bronze hue of the skin, which, 
with a few exceptions, is common to almost all the 
nations of this continent. How the first emigrants 
passed from the old to the new world is a matter of 
conjecture : the most probable opinion seems to be 
that they crossed Bhering's Straits, and gradually 
peopled this continent. Christianity prevails almost 
universally throughout America. Nearly three-fourths 
of those who profess it are Catholics. The entire pop- 
ulation of North and South America is estimated at 
47 millions. C. B. 



THE CHOICE OF FRIENDS. 



1. League not with him in friendship's tie, 
Whose selfish soul is bent on pleasure 
For he from joy to joy will fly, 
As changes fancy's fickle measure. 



READING LESSONS. 241 

Not his the faith, whose bond we see, 
With lapse of years remaining stronger ; 

'Nor will he then be true to thee, 

"When thou canst serve his aim no longer. 

Him, too, avoid whose grov'lling love 

In earthly end alone is centred, 
Within whose heart, a thought above 

Life's common cares, has seldom enter'd. 
Trust not to him thy bosom's weal, 

A painted love alone revealing ; 
The show, without the lasting zeal ; 

The hollow voice, without the feeling. 

Q. Griffin. 



LESSON XII. 

STEAM NAVIGATION. 

Ide'a, n., whatever is the immediate object of perception or thought ; 
the representation of anything conceived in the mind. I. S. L. and 
G. idea, from eido, G., I see. 

Patent (pat'- or pa'-), n., open : letters patent are open letters, so 
called, because not sealed up, but exposed to public view, with 
the great seal pendant at the bottom. F. patent, from patere, L., 
to be open. 

Machine (-sheen'), n., an engine ; a complicated piece of workman- 
ship of any sort. F. machine; L. machina, from mechane. G., 
artifice, skill. 

Taf'ferel, n., the upper part of the stern of a ship : — the broad sur- 
face or table. D. tafel, a table. 

Pad'dle, n., anything formed, in breadth and flatness, for paddling, 
that is, for moving or pushing about in the water, as ducks do with 
their feet. F. patouiller, to paddle, from patte, a foot : or from 
patulus, L., broad, flat, open. 

Cyl'inder, n., a Lody having two flat surfaces — the top and bottom 
— and one circular — the length, as a rolling stone. F. cylindre ; 
G. kulindros, from kulio, I roll. 

Decora'tions, n., embellishments, ornaments. F. decorations, from 
decor, L., ornament. 

Hull, n., the hulk or body of a ship ; the part of a ship which is cov- 
ered in the water. Hull, from helan, A.S., to cover. 

21 



I 



242 THIRD BOOK OF 

Superb', #., magnificent, sumptuous. F. superbe, from superbus, L., 

proud, and this from huperbios, G., overbearing, haughty. 
Atlantic, n. y a name applied to the ocean bounded by K and S. 

America on one side, and by Europe and Africa on the other. 

Atlantic from the Atlas mountains, contiguous to their western 

extremity. 
For "Dimensions," see p. 184; "Keel," p. 148; "Diameter," p. 65 ; 

"Apparatus," p. 150 ; and " Superior," p. 65. 

1. The first idea of steam navigation was set forth 
in a patent, obtained in 1736, by Jonathan Hulls, 
for a machine for carrying vessels against wind and 
tide, or in a calm. In America, in 1778, this appli- 
cation of steam was proposed. In 1781, the Marquis 
de JoufFroy constructed a steamer on the Saone ; and 
in 1785, two Americans wrote and published a book 
upon it. In 1789, Symington made a voyage in one 
on the Forth of Clyde Canal, and in 1802, the exper- 
iment was repeated with success. Soon after, Mr. 
Fulton went to America, and in 1807, started a steam- 
boat on the Hudson's River, which, succeeding, was 
imitated by hundreds. In June, 1819, the Savan- 
nah, of 350 tons, came from New York to Liverpool 
by steam. Our own rivers at the present day give 
sufficient proof of the rapidity with which we have 
multiplied this advantageous method of increasing 
commerce and profits. 

2. The contemporary — if we may be allowed thus 
to express it — with the Great Western, was the 
equally splendid vessel, The British Queen. She 
was built by Messrs. Curling and Young, of Lime- 
house, for the British and American Steam Naviga- 
tion Company, and was launched on the birth-day 
of the Queen, 24th of May, 1838 ; hence her name. 
This vessel plied between London and New York, 
and the following is an accurate description of her 
dimensions, capacity, and power : — Extreme length 
from figure-head to tafferel, 275 feet ; length of up- 






BEADING LESSONS. 243 



per deck, 245 feet ; length of keel, 223 feet ; breadth 
within paddle-boxes, 40 feet 6 inches ; breadth, in- 
cluding paddle-boxes, 64 feet ; depth, 27 feet ; ton- 
nage, 1,862 tons ; power of engines, 500 horses ; 
diameter of cylinders, 71 J inches ; length of stroke, 
7 feet ; diameter of paddle-wheels, 30 feet ; esti- 
mated weight of engines, boilers, and water, 500 
tons ; ditto of coals for 20 days' consumption, 600 
tons ; ditto of cargo, 500 tons ; draught of water with 
the above weight and stores, 16 feet. 

3. The British Queen is said to have been one of 
the longest ships in the world, the length exceeding, 
by about thirty-five feet, that of any ship in the Brit- 
ish navy. Her beauty was equal to that of the Great 

k Western ; some say, far superior ; and she occupied 
two years in being built. The Great Western has 
four, instead of three masts, and she also possesses 
the advantage, if such it be, of a poop or stern-deck. 
The internal arrangements of the British Queen, as 
to berths and saloon, were of the most costly and 
chaste description ; while her mechanical powers, as 
to engine and other apparatus, were of the most sub- 
stantial and perfect workmanship. 

4. The Great Western was built at Bristol, with- 
out any consideration as to cost and labour. As 
soon as her hull and rigging were completed, she 
proceeded to London to receive her engines and other 
steam apparatus. She sails between Bristol and 
New York. The tonnage of this vessel is 1,340, of 
which it is computed the gross weight of the appara- 
tus is 490 ; that of the boilers alone, with the w T ater 
they contain, being 180, and the piston-cranks 17 
tons each. In the space surrounding the engines is 
stowage-room, in iron boxes of very convenient con- 



244: THIRD BOOK OF 

struction, for 800 tons of coal ; while her paddle- 
wheels are not less than 38 feet in diameter, and are 
moved by a 450 horse power. This statement will 
convey some idea of the force and rapidity with 
which she can be propelled through the w r ater ; and 
she has justified the confident expectation of her 
owners, and of the scientific persons who visited and 
examined her apparatus, that, with fair average 
weather, she would perform the voyage to New York 
in about twelve or fourteen days. This vessel has 
been inspected by an immense number of the nobil- 
ity. She is one of the most superb steamers that has 
ever been launched, and is, without question, one of 
the finest specimens that ever graced the Atlantic. 



LESSON XIII. 

INFLUENCE OF RELIGION ON THE TYROLESE. 

Rome, n., the capital of Italy and centre of Catholic unity : pop. 
117,000. Rome originated in the erection of a number of mud 
cabins, 150 years before the Christian era : in the middle of the 
third century it was 50 miles in circumference, had a population 
of at least two millions, contained 700 temples, and was the mis- 
tress of the world. L. Roma, from Romulus, its founder. 

Girdle (ger'-dl), n., anything which environs or surrounds. A.S. 
gyrdel, from gyrdan, to gird, to enclose. 

Luxuries (luk'-shu-), n„ refinements, delicacies, pleasures. L. luxu- 
ries, from luxo, I loosen, — because luxury means properly loose- 
ness of desires, voluptuousness, — from luo (L. and 6.), I expiate, I 
wash, I pay. 

Realm, n., the land, territory, or kingdom ruled. S. realme ; L. reg- 
num, from rego, I rule. 

Explore', v., to examine, search out, view diligently. L. exploro, — 
ex, and ploro, I weep, — because he who is endeavouring to accom- 
plish any purpose, or earnestly desires anything, as pardon of 
offences, usually does so with anxiety or sorrow. 

Venera'tion, n., respect, reverent regard. F. veneration, from vene- 
ror, L., I worship. 

El'oquent, a., having the power of oratory, or of speaking fluently. 
F. eloquent, from (L.) eloquor, — e, and loquor, I speak. 



READING LESSONS. 245 

Imper'vious, «., impenetrable, impassable. L. impervius, not having 
a passage or way through ; im, per, and via, a way. 

jE'gis, n., the shield of Minerva, a heathen goddess. L. cegis, so called 
from aix, Gr., a goat, because covered with goat-skin. 

Bandit'ti, n., a gang of outlawed robbers. I. banditti ; F. bandit, one 
declared to be banned, banished, or outlawed : — ban, an interdict, 
a curse, and dit, said, p. pt. of dire (L. dicer e\ to say. 

- ->■ 

1. "What is it, then, which has wrought so sur- 
prising a change in the manners and habits of Eu- 
rope, of the inhabitants of the great mountain-girdle 
of the earth ? What is it which has spread cultiva- 
tion through wastes deemed, in ancient times, inac- 
cessible to improvement, and humanised the manners 
of a people, remarkable only, under the Roman sway, 
for the ferocity and barbarism of their customs % 

2. What but the influence of religion ; of that faith 
which has calmed the savage passions of the human 
mind, and spread its beneficial influence amongst the 
remotest habitations of men, and which prompted its 
disciples to leave the luxuries and comforts of south- 
ern civilisation to diffuse knowledge and humanity 
through inhospitable realms, and spread, even amidst 
the regions of desolation, the light of knowledge and 
the blessings of Christianity. Impressed with these 
ideas, the traveller, in crossing the St. Bernard, and 
comparing the perfect safety with which he now can 
explore the most solitary parts of these mountains, 
with the perils of the passage, attested by votive offer- 
ings, even in the days of Adrian and the Antonines, 
will think with thankfulness of the religion by which 
this wonderful change has been effected, and w T ith 
veneration of the saint whose name has, for a thou- 
sand years, been affixed to the pass where his influ- 
ence first reclaimed the people from their barbarous 
life ; and in crossing the defile of Mount Brenner, 
where the Abbey of Wilten first offered an asylum 

21* 



246 THIRD BOOK OF 

to the pilgrim, lie will feel, with a late amiable and 
eloquent writer, " how fortunate it is that religion has 
penetrated these fastnesses, impervious to human 
power, and, where precautions are impossible and 
resistance useless, spread her invisible aegis over the 
traveller, and conducts him, secure under her protec- 
tion, through all the dangers of his way !" 

3. When in such situations he reflects upon his 
security, and recollects that these mountains, so sav* 
age, and so well adapted to the progress of murder- 
ers and banditti, have not in the memorv of man 
been stained with human blood, he ought to do jus- 
tice to the cause, and gratefully to acknowledge the 
influence of religion. Impressed with these ideas, 
he will behold with interest the crosses which fre- 
quently mark the brow of a precipice, and the little 
chapels hollowed out of the rock, where the road is 
narrowed ; he will consider them as so many pledges 
of security, and rest assured, that so long as the pious 
mountaineer continues to adore the " Good Shep- 
herd," and to implore the power of the " Afflicted 
Mother," he will never cease to befriend the travel- 
ler, nor to discharge the duties of hospitality. 

Allison. 



LESSON XIY. 

TO my mother. 

And canst thou, mother ! for a moment think 
That we, thy children, when old age shall shed 
Its blanching honours on thy drooping head, 

Could from our best of duties ever shrink ? 

Sooner the sun from his high sphere should sink 



READING LESSONS. 247 

Than we, ungrateful, leave thee in that day, 
To pine in solitude thy life away, 

Or shun thee, tottering on the grave's cold brink. 

Banish the thought ! — where'er our steps may roam, 
O'er smiling plains, or wastes without a tree, 
Still will fond memory point our hearts to thee, 

And paint the pleasures of thy peaceful home, 
While duty bids us all thy griefs assuage, 
And smooth the pillow of thy sinking age. 

H. K. White. 



ON THE CRUCIFIXION. 
(From the Italian.) 

I ask'd the heav'ns what foe to God had done 

The unexampled deed : — the heav'ns exclaim, 
* ^Twas man — and we, in horror, snatch'd the sun 

From such a spectacle of guilt and shame." 
I ask'd the sea — the sea with fury boil'd, 

And answer'd with his voice of storms, " 'Twas 
man — 
My waves in panic at the crime recoil'd, 

Disclosed th' abyss, and from the centre ran." 
I ask'd the earth — the earth replied, aghast, 

" ^Twas man — and such strange pangs my bosom 
rent, 
That still I grieve and shudder at the past." 

To man, gay, smiling, thoughtless man, I went, 
And ask'd him next — he turn'd a scornful eye, 

Shook his proud head, and deign'd me no reply. 



248 THIRD BOOK OF 

LESSON XY. 

THE FIRE-FLY. 

There is an insect, that, when evening comes, 
Small though he be, scarcely distinguishable, 
Like evening clad in soberest livery, 
Unsheaths his wings, and through the woods and 



glades 



Scatters a marvellous splendour. On he wheels, 
Blazing by fits, as from excess of joy, 
Each gush of light a gush of ecstacy ; 
JSTor unaccompanied ; thousands that fling 
A radiance all their own, not of the day, 
Thousands as bright as he, from dusk till dawn, 
Soaring, descending. 

Oft have I met 
This shining race, when in the Tusculan groves 
My path no longer glimmer'd ; oft among 
Those trees, religious once and always green, 
That yet dream out their stories of Old Rome 
Over the Alban lake ; oft met and hail'd, 
Where the precipitate Anio thunders down, 
And through the surging mist a poet's house 
(So some aver, and who would not believe ?) 
Reveals itself. — Yet cannot I forget 
Him,* who rejoiced me in those walks at eve, 
My earliest, pleasantest ; who dwells unseen, 
And in our northern clime, when all is still, 
Nightly keeps watch, nightly in bush or brake 
His lonely lamp rekindling. Unlike theirs, 
His, 'if less dazzling, through the darkness knows 

* The glow-worm. 



READING LESSONS. 249 

No intermission ; sending forth its ray 

Through the green leaves, — a ray serene and clear 

As virtue's own. 

Rogers. 



LESSON XVI. 

BIRDS. 

Beak (beek), n., the bill of a bird ; that which picks or pecks. D. 

beck, from becker, to peck, from (L.) bacar. 
Pal'mated, a., whole or fin-footed. L. palmipes, web-footed : — palma T 

the hand thrown open — anything like the palm ; — and pes, the 

foot. 
Plu'mage, n., suit or covering of feathers. F. plumage, from plwna, 

L., a feather. 
Imper'meable, a., waterproof; that which cannot be passed through. 

F. impermeable, from per?neo, L., I pass through. 
Denu'ded, pt., stripped, or deprived of. L. denudatus ; — nudus, naked. 
Regimen (red'-je), n., diet, condition. L. regimen, from regere, to rule. 
Wa'ders, n., birds which walk through water or high grass, or 

through anything impeding motion ; from (A.S.) wadan, to go, to 

make way. 
Gal'linje, n., the hen-species of birds called the land or " terrestrial," 

(L. terra, the earth), to distinguish them from the water or " aquat- 
ic" (L. aqua, water) species of birds. L. gallince : — gallina, a hen. 
Man'dible, n., the eating or chewing organ ; the jaw. L. mandibu- 

lum, from mando, I eat, I chew. 
Anal'ogy, n., similitude, resemblance : applied to a like mode of 

using words. I. S. L. and G. analogia, from ana, with, and logos, 

a word, a discourse. 
Organisation, n., construction in which the parts are so disposed as 

to be subservient to each other. F. organisation. See " Organ," 

p. 227. 
Specif'ic, a., a term, which, as here applied, means the peculiar or 

special weight or gravity which belongs to the several species of 

body. L. specificus. See " Species," p. 22. 
For "Animal," see p. Ill; " Mammalia," p. 227; " Membrane," p. 

95 ; "Tegument," p. 35 ; "Convexity," p. 135 ; "Physical," p. 67 ; 

" Perception," p. 67 ; " Atmosphere," p. 25 ; " Superstition/' p. 59 ; 

"Antiquity," p. 51. 

1. Of all the classes of animals, that of birds is 
the most strongly marked, and that in which the 
species have the greatest resemblance, and which is 



250 THIRD BOOK OF 

separated from all the others by a wider interval. 
This fact, however, renders it more difficult to subdi- 
vide them. 

2. These subdivisions are grounded, as in the 
mammalia, on the organs of food and of prehension, 
that is, the beak and toes. One is struck first with 
the palmated feet, that is, when the toes are united 
by membranes, a character which distinguishes all 
the swimming-birds. The position of these feet be- 
hind ; the length of the sternum, or breast-bone ; 
the neck often longer than the legs, to reach down- 
ward ; the plumage close, shining, impermeable to 
water, agree with the feet in constituting the web- 
footed fowls and swimmers. 

3. In other birds, which also have frequently some 
small w^ebs to the feet, at least between the external 
toes, we observe legs denuded of feathers towards 
the base, a tall stature, in a word, all arrangements 
necessary for fording in shallow water, for the pur- 
pose of seeking their food. Such, indeed, is the 
regimen of the greater number of these ; and al- 
though some of them live on dry land, they are 
named waders, or grallcB. 

4. Among the truly terrestrial birds, the gallinm 
have, like our domestic poultry, a heavy carriage, a 
short flight, the beak moderate, with the upper man- 
dible vaulted, the nostrils swelling out, and partly 
covered by a soft scale, and almost always the edges 
of the toes indented, with short membranes between 
the bases of those before. They live principally on 
grain. 

5. The birds of prey have the beak crooked, with 
the point sharp, and bent towards the base ; and the 
nostrils pierced in a membrane, which invests all 



READING LESSONS. 251 

the base of the beak : the feet are armed with strong 
nails. They live on flesh, and pursue other birds ; 
hence, they have generally a powerful flight. The 
greater number have, moreover, a small web between 
the external toes. 

6. The passerine birds (passer, a sparrow) include 
many more species than all the other families ; but 
>the analogy in their organisation is so great, that 
they cannot be separated, although they vary greatly 
in size and strength. Their two external toes are 
united at the base, and sometimes part of the way up 
their length. Each of these orders subdivides into 
families and genera, or kinds, principally by the 
conformation of the beak. 

7. Birds are, in general, covered with feathers, a 
sort of tegument the best adapted to protect them 
from the effects of the rapid variations of temperature 
to which their movements expose them. The air- 
cavities which occupy the interior of their body, and 
which even occupy the place of marrow in the bones, 
augment their specific lightness. 

8. Sight is extremely perfect in birds, and they 
have the peculiar faculty of seeing objects near or 
distant equally well. The means by which this is 
effected are not satisfactorily explained, though a 
power of changing the convexity of the eye is prob- 
ably the proximate or immediate cause. Like all 
other physical peculiarities, it is admirably adapted 
to the mode of existence of the class : a quick and 
perfect sight of objects and perception of distances 
are necessary to the rapidity of their movements and 
the securing of their prey to birds. All the generaa^ 
except the owls, see a single object but with onereyfc> 
The situation of these organs, however, enablesyili&nas 



252 THIED BOOK OF 

to take in a much larger field of view, than animals 
whose eyes look straight before them. 

9. Every one knows the varied industry employed 
by birds in constructing their nests, and the tender 
care they take of their eggs and of their young : this 
is the principal part of their instinct. For the rest 
of their qualities, their rapid passage through the 
different regions of the air, and the lively and con- 4 
tinued action of this element upon them, enable them 
to anticipate the variations of the atmosphere in a 
manner of which we can have no idea, and from 
which has been attributed to them, from all antiquity, 
by superstition, the power of announcing future 
events. They are not without memory or imagina- 
tion, for they dream; and every one knows with 
what facility they may be tamed, may be made to 
perform different operations, and retain airs and 
words. Cuvier. 



LESSON" XYII. 

ON THE LAWS OF MOTION. 

Charles. — Are you now going, papa, to describe 
those machines, which you call mechanical powers ? 

Father. — "We must, I believe, defer that a day or 
two longer, as I have a few more general principles 
with which I wish you previously to be acquainted. 

Emma. — What are these ? 

Father. — In the first place, you must well under- 
stand what are denominated the three general laws 
of motion ; the first of which is, " that every body 
will continue in its state of rest or of uniform mo- 






READING LESSONS. 253 






tion, until it is compelled by some force to change its 
state" This constitutes what is denominated the 
inertia, or inactivity of matter. And it may be ob- 
served, that a change never happens in the motion 
of any body, without an equal and opposite change 
in the motion of some other body. 

Charles. — There is no difficulty of conceiving that 
a body, as this inkstand, in a state of rest, must al- 
ways remain so, if no external force be impressed 
upon it to give it motion. But I know of no ex- 
ample which will lead me to suppose, that a body 
once put in motion, would of itself continue so. 

Father. — You will, I think, presently admit the 
latter part of the assertion as well as the former, al- 
though it cannot be established by experiment. 

Emma. — I shall be glad to hear how this is. 

Father. — You will not deny that the ball which 
you strike from the trap, has no more power either 
to destroy its motion, or to cause any change in its 
velocity, than it has to change its shape. 

Charles. — Certainly ; nevertheless, in a few sec- 
onds after I have struck the ball with all my force, 
it falls to the ground, and then stops. 

Father. — Do you find no difference in the time 
that is taken up before it comes to rest, even suppos- 
ing your blow the same ? 

Charles.— Yes ; if I am playing on the grass it 
rolls to a less distance than when I play on the 
smooth gravel. 

Father. — You find a like difference w T hen you are 
playing at marbles, if you play in the gravel court, 
or on the even pavement in the arcade. 

Charles. — The marbles run so easily on the smooth 

22 



254 THIRD BOOK OF 

stones in the arcade, that we can scarcely shoot with 
a force small enough. 

Emma. — And I remember Charles and my cousin 
were, last winter, trying how far they could shoot 
their marbles along the ice of the canal ; and they 
went a prodigious distance in comparison of that 
which they would have gone on the gravel, or even 
on the pavement in the arcade. 

Father. — "Now^these instances, properly applied, 
will convince you, that a body once put in motion, 
would go on for ever, if it were not compelled by 
some external force to change its state. 

Charles. — I perceive what you are going to say : 
— it is the rubbing or friction of the marbles against 
the ground which does the business. For, on the 
pavement there are fewer obstacles than on the grav- 
el, and fewer on the ice than on the pavement ; and 
hence you would lead us to conclude, that if all ob- 
stacles were removed, they might proceed on for ever. 
But what are we to say of the ball ; what stops that ? 

Father. — Besides friction, there is another and 
still more important circumstance to be taken into 
consideration, which affects the ball, marbles, and 
every body in motion. 

Charles. — I understand you ; that is the attraction 
of gravitation. 

Father. — It is ; for, from what we said when we 
conversed on that subject, it appeared that gravity 
has a tendency to bring every body in motion to the 
earth ; consequently, in a few seconds your ball must 
come to the ground by that cause alone ; but, besides 
the attraction of gravitation, there is the resistance 
which the air, through which the ball moves, makes 
to its passage. 






READING LESSONS. 255 

Emma. — That cannot be much, I think. 

Father. — Perhaps, with regard to the ball struck 
from your brother's trap, it is of no great considera- 
tion, because the velocity is but small; but in all 
great velocities, as that of a ball from a musket or 
cannon, there will be a material difference between 
the theory and practice, if it be neglected in the cal- 
culation. Move your mamma's riding-whip through 
the air slowly, and you observe nothing to remind 
you that there is this resisting medium ; but if you 
swing it with considerable swiftness, the noise which 
it occasions, will inform you of the resistance it meets 
with from something, which is the atmosphere. 

Charles. — If I now understand you, the force 
which compels a body in motion to stop, is of three 
kinds : (1) the attraction of gravitation ; — (2) the re- 
sistance of the air ;— and (3) the resistance it meets 
with from friction. 

Father. — Tou are quite right. 

Charles. — I have no difficulty of conceiving, that 
a body in motion will not come to a state of rest, till 
it is brought to it by an external force, acting upon 
it in some way or other. I have seen a gentleman, 
when skaiting on very slippery ice, go a great way 
without any exertion to himself; but where the ice 
was rough, he could not go half the distance -without 
making fresh efforts. 

Father. — I will mention another instance or two 
on this law of motion. Put a bason of water into 
your little sister's wagon, and when the water is per- 
fectly still, move the wagon, and the water, resisting 
the motion of the vessel, will at first rise up in the 
direction contrary to that in which the vessel moves. 
If' when the motion of the vessel is communicated 



256 THIRD BOOK OP 

to the water, you suddenly stop the wagon, the water, 
in endeavouring to continue the state of motion, rises 
up on the opposite side. In like manner, if, while 
you are sitting quietly on your horse, the animal 
starts forward, you will be in danger of falling off 
backward ; but if, while you are galloping along, the 
animal stops on a sudden, you will be liable to be 
thrown forward. 

Charles. — This I know by experience, but I was 
not aware of the reason of it till to-day. 

Father. — One of the first, and not least important 
uses of the principles of natural philosophy, is, that 
they may be applied to, and will explain, many of 
the common concerns of life. 



LESSON XVIII. 

LAWS OF MOTION (CONTINUED). 

Father. — We now come to the second law of mo- 
tion, which is, — " that the change of motion is pro- 
portional to the force impressed, and in the direction 
of that force" 

Charles. — There is no difficulty in this ; for if, 
while my cricket-ball is rolling along after Henry 
has struck it, I strike it again, it goes on with in- 
creased velocity, and that in proportion to the strength 
which I exert on the occasion ; whereas, if, while it 
is rolling, I strike it back again, or give it a side- 
blow, I change the direction of its course. 

Father. — In the same way, gravity, and the re- 
sistance of the atmosphere, change the direction of 
a cannon-ball from its course in a straight line, and 



READING LESSONS. 257 

bring it to the ground ; and the ball goes to a farther 
or less distance in proportion to the quantity of pow- 
der used. 

The third law of motion is, — " that to every ac- 
tion of one body upon another, there is an equal and 
contrary re-action" If I strike this table, I com- 
municate to it (which you perceive by the shaking 
of the china-ware) the motion of my hand ; and the 
table re-acts against my hand just as much as my 
hand acts against the table. In all cases the quan- 
tity of motion gained by one body is always equal to 
that lost by the other in the same direction. Thus, 
if a ball in motion strike another at rest, the motion 
communicated to the latter will be taken from the 
former, and the velocity of the former will be pro- 
portionally diminished. A horse drawing a heavy 
load is as much drawn back by the load as he draw T s 
it forward. 

Emma. — I do not comprehend how the cart draws 
the horse. 

Father. — But the progress of the horse is im- 
peded by the load, which is the same thing ; for the 
force which the horse exerts would carry him to a 
greater distance in the same time, were he freed from 
the incumbrance of the load ; and therefore, as much 
as his progress falls short of that distance, so much 
is he, in effect, drawn back by the re-action of the 
loaded cart. 

From this law of motion you may learn in what 
manner a bird, by the stroke of its wings, is able to 
support the weight of its body. 

Charles. — Pray explain this, papa. 

Father. — If the force w r ith which it strikes the air 

22* 



258 THIRD BOOK OF 

below is equal to the weight of its body, then the re- 
action of the air upwards is likewise equal to it; and 
the bird, being acted upon by two equal forces in 
contrary directions, will rest between them. If the 
force of the stroke is greater than its weight, the bird 
will rise with the difference of these two forces : and 
if the stroke is less than its weight, then it will sink 
with the difference. Joyce. 



LESSON XIX. 

THE DIVING-BELL. 

Cork, n., the bark of a tree so called ; also pieces of such tree used 
for stopping bottles, barrels, &c. D. kork, Ger. corck, from (L.) 
cortex, the bark, from corium, a hide. 

Sur/face (fas), n., the upper face, or what first appears or shows it- 
self of anything. F. surface ; L. superficies, from super, and fades, 
a face. 

Compressible, a., capable of being pressed close ; yielding to pres- 
sure, so as that one part is brought nearer to another. F. com- 
pressible. See "Expression," p. 15. 

Exclude', v., to shut out ; to eject. L. excludo, — ex, and claudo, I shut. 

Condens'ed, v., thickened ; compressed or compacted into a small 
space. L. condensatus, from condenso, — con, and denso, I thicken. 

Trun'cated, a., cut, shortened, lopped from the trunk. L. truncatus, 
from truncus, cut, maimed. 

An'chor, n., a heavy iron to hold the ship, by being fixed in the 
ground ; anything that confers stability. F. ancre ; I. S. and L. 
ancora ; G. agkura, from ogke (g is sounded like n in both), a hook, 
or crook. 

Or'ifice ('-re-fis), n., any perforation : — an opening in form of a mouth. 
F. orifice ; L. orificium, from os, a mouth, and facer e, to form, or 
make. 

Veloc/ity, n., swiftness, rapidity. F. velocite, from velox, L., swift, 
and this, perhaps, from volo, I fly. 

Cyclope'dia (sy-), n., a circle of knowledge or instruction in all arts 
and sciences. F. cyclopedie ; L. cyclopaedia, from Jcuklos, G., a cir- 
cle, and paideia, instruction, learning. 

For "Machine," see p. 241; "Horizon," p. 187: — and for derivation 
of " Appended," see Appendages, p. 51. 

1. To illustrate the principle of this machine, take 



READING LESSONS. 259 

a glass tumbler ; plunge it into water, with the mouth 
downwards ; you will find that very little water will 
rise into the tumbler ; which will be evident, if you 
lay a piece of cork upon the surface of the water, 
and put the tumbler over it ; for you will see, that 
though the cork should be carried far below the sur- 
face of the water, yet that its upper side is not w 7 etted, 
the air which w T as in the tumbler having prevented 
the entrance of the water; but, as air is compressible, 
it could not entirely exclude the water, which, by its 
pressure, condensed the air a little. 

2. The first diving-bell of any note was made by 
Dr. Halley. It is most commonly made in the form 
of a truncated cone, the smaller end being closed, 
and the larger one open. It is weighted with lead, 
and so suspended, that it may sink full of air, with 
its open base downwards, and, as near as may be, 
parallel to the horizon, so as to close with the surface 
of the water. Mr. Smeaton's diving-bell was a square 
chest of cast-iron, four feet and a half in height, four 
feet and a half in length, and three feet wdde, and 
afforded room for two men to work in it. It was 
supplied with fresh air by a forcing pump. 

3. The sinking and raising of the diving-bell, in- 
vented by Dr. Halley, depending entirely on the 
people at the surface of the water, and being besides 
of considerable weight, so as to occasion much labour, 
with a risk of the breaking of the rope by which it 
was to be raised, to the sure destruction of those with- 
in, — a diving-bell has been invented by Mr. Spalding, 
of Edinburgh, to remedy these defects, and prevent 
the edges of the machine from being entangled by 
any ragged prominences of rock. His machine is of 
wood, suspended by ropes, and having a leaden weight 



260 THIRD BOOK OF 

appended to it, by means of which the mouth of the 
bell is kept always parallel to the surface of the wa- 
ter, whether the machine, taken altogether, is lighter 
or heavier than an equal bulk of water. By these 
weights alone, however, the bell would not sink; 
another is therefore added, which can be lowered or 
raised at pleasure, by means of a rope passing over a 
pulley, and fastened to one of the sides of the bell. 
As the bell descends, this weight, called by Mr. 
Spalding the balance-weight, hangs down a consider- 
able way below the mouth of the bell. In case the 
edge of the bell is caught by any obstacle, the bal- 
ance-weight is immediately lowered down, so that it 
may rest upon the bottom. By this means the bell 
is lightened, so that all danger of oversetting is re- 
moved ; for, being lighter without the balance-weight 
than an equal bulk of w T ater, it is evident that the 
bell will rise as far as the length of the rope affixed 
to the balance-weight will allow, it. This weight, 
therefore, serves as a kind of anchor to keep the bell 
at any particular depth which the divers may think 
necessary; or, by pulling it quite up, the descent 
may be continued to the very bottom. 

4. By another very ingenious contrivance, Mr. 
Spalding has rendered it possible for the divers to 
raise the bell, with all the weight appending to it, 
even to the surface of the water, or to stop it at any 
particular depth, as they think proper ; and thus they 
would still be safe, even though the rope designed for 
pulling up the bell should be broken. For this pur- 
pose, the bell is divided into two cavities, both made 
as tight as possible. Just above the second bottom 
are small slits in the sides of the bell, through w T hich 
the water entering as the bell descends, displaces the 
air originally contained in its cavity, which flies out 



READING LESSONS. 261 

at the upper orifice of a cock expressly fitted for that 
purpose. When this is done, the divers turn the 
handle which stops the cock ; so that if any more air 
were to get into the cavity, it could no longer be dis- 
charged through the orifice as before. If, therefore, 
the divers wish to raise themselves, they turn the 
cock, by which a communication is made between 
the upper and under cavities of the bell. The con- 
sequence is, that a quantity of air immediately enters 
the upper cavity, and forces out a quantity of the 
water contained in it, and thus renders the bell light- 
er by the whole weight of the water which is dis- 
placed : thus, if a certain quantity of air is admitted 
into the upper cavity, the bell will descend very slow- 
ly ; if a greater quantity, it will neither ascend nor 
descend, but remain stationary ; and if a large quan- 
tity of air be still admitted, it will rise to the top. 
It should be observed, however, that the air wirich is 
thus let out into the upper cavity, must immediately 
be replaced from the air-barrel ; and the air is to be 
let out very slowly, or the bell will rise to the top 
with so great a velocity, that the divers will be in 
danger of being shaken out of their seats. But by 
following these directions, every possible accident 
may be prevented, and persons may descend to a 
very great depth, without the smallest apprehension 
of danger. The bell also becomes so easily managed 
in the water, that it may be conducted from one place 
to another by a small boat, with the greatest ease, 
and with perfect safety to those within. 

Cyclopedia. 



262 THIRD BOOK OF 

LESSON XX. 

THERE IS A JOY OF HEAVENLY BIRTH. 

1. There is a joy of heav'nly birth, 
More bright than all the joys of earth ; 
'Tis felt — when on Guilt's trembling head 
The kindly dews of Heav'n are shed. 

2. And his deep shame and silent tears 
Efface the stains, the guilt of years ; 
And that dark brow in mercy's glow 
Rivals the bright unsullied snow. 

3. When boldly o'er the paths of crime 
This spirit wings its flight sublime, 
As over Cedron's gulf the dove 

. Takes its pure course, and dwells above ; 

4. When earth's discordant passions cease, 
He feels at last the three-fold peace, 

Peace with the world — its w r rongs forgiv'n — 
Peace with himself, and peace with Heav'n. 



§ 6. LESSON I. 

THE NORTH CAPE. 

Cape, n., a headland, that is, a point or head of land projecting from 
the mainland into the sea. F. cap, from caput, L., from kephale, 
G., the head. 

Con'tinent, n., that which holds, contains, or comprises (many coun- 
tries, states, or kingdoms). The term was originally intended to 
apply to land which could not be circumnavigated. F. continent ; 
L. continens, from contineo, — con, and tevieo, I hold. 

Circle (ser'-), n., a figure contained by one line, — called its circum- 



READING LESSOKS. 263 

ference, — having all its parts equally distant from a common cen- 
tre. F. cercle ; L. cir cuius, an orb, and circus, a place for exhibi- 
tions, — from kirkos, G-., of doubtful origin. 

Peak (peek), n., the top of a point or hill, so called from the small- 
ness or acuteness of the point. Peak is said to be traceable to 
pycan, A.S., to pick or peck. 

Ram'part, n., the wall round fortified places ; anything raised like a 
wall, and serving for protection, defence, (fee. F. rempart, from 
ripa, L., a bank. 

Grot'to, n., a place hollowed out — usually for sake of coolness. 
I. grotta, from crypta, L., or krypte, G., from krypto, I hide. 

Moun'tain, n., an enormous protuberance of the earth ; a place raised 
or very elevated. F. montagne, from L. 7710ns, a vast quantity, a 
mountain. 

Month, anciently Mooneth, n., the period in which the moon com- 
pletes its orbit round the earth ; — viz., 29 d. 12 hrs. 44 min. ; which 
period is now called the lunar month (L. luna, the moon), to dis- 
tinguish it from the calendar month, which is various in length. 
A.S., monath, sl month. Month is from the G-. men, the moon. 

Becem'ber, n., the last month of the year. L. December, — decern, ten, 
because it was the tenth month of the Roman year, which com- 
menced with March, — so called by Romulus, in honour of the god 
Mars, and her, from imber, rain, a shower. Hence the derivation 
of the three preceding months ; — novem, nine, octo, eight, and sep- 
tem, seven. 

January, n., the first month of the year. L. Januarius, from Janus, 
the deity who presided over the beginning of every undertaking. 
Feb'ruary is from februare, L., to expiate, because sacrifices of ex- 
piation were made by the Roman people in this month ; A'pril, 
from aperio, L., I open, in allusion to the unbinding or opening in- 
fluence of spring ; and May, from Maia, the mother of the god 
Mercury. June was so named in honour of Junius Brutus, who 
in this month expelled the Tar quins • as July, in honour of Julius 
Caesar, and August, in honour of Augustus Caesar. 

1. This cape, forming the most northerly point of 
the continent of Europe, may be regarded as one of 
the sublimest wonders of nature. It is situated within 
the arctic circle, in seventy-one degrees ten minutes 
north latitude. A late traveller states, that a little 
before midnight, its rocks appeared to be nearly of 
an equal height, until they terminated in a perpen- 
dicular peak ; but on a closer view, those within were 
found to be much higher than those of the extreme 
peak or point. Their general appearance was highly 
picturesque. The sea broke against this immoveable 
rampart, which had withstood its fury from the re- 



264 THIRD BOOK OF 

motest ages, and formed a thick border of white froth. 
This grand spectacle was illuminated by the sun, 
and the shade which covered the western side of the 
rocks, rendered their aspect still more tremendous. 
The height of those rocks could not be ascertained ; 
but everything was on so grand a scale, that a point 
of comparison could not be afforded by any ordinary 
known objects. 

2. On landing, the party discovered a grotto, 
formed of rocks, with a surface washed smooth by 
the waves, and having within a spring of fresh water. 
The only accessible spot in the vicinity was a large 
hill, surrounded by enormous crags. From the sum- 
mit of this hill, turning towards the sea, they per- 
ceived to the right a prodigious mountain, attached 
to the cape, and rearing its sterile mass to the skies. 
To the left, a neck of land, covered with less ele- 
vated rocks, against which the surges dashed with 
great violence, closed the bay, and admitted but a 
contracted view of the ocean. In order to see as far 
as possible into the interior, our traveller climbed 
nearly to the summit of the mountain, where a most 
singular landscape presented itself to the view. A 
lake in the foreground had an elevation of at least 
ninety feet above the level of the sea ; and on the 
top of an adjacent, but less lofty mountain, was an- 
other lake. The view was closed by peaked rocks, 
chequered by several patches of snow. 

3. At midnight the sun still remained many de- 
grees above the horizon, and continued to ascend 
higher and higher until noon, when having again 
descended, it passed the north, without dipping be- 
low the horizon. This phenomenon, which is equal- 
ly as extraordinary to the inhabitants of the torrid 



READING LESSONS. 265 

and temperate zones, as snow is to those who inhabit 
the torrid zone, could not be viewed without a par- 
ticular interest. Two months of perpetual day-light, 
during the whole of which time the sun never sets, 
seems to place the traveller in a new state of exist- 
ence, while its effect on the inhabitants of these re- 
gions is striking. During the time the sun is per- 
petually above the horizon, they rise at ten o'clock 
in the morning, dine at five or six o'clock in the 
evening, and go to bed at one. But throughout the 
winter season, from the beginning of December until 
the end of January, when the sun never rises, they 
sleep more than half of the twenty-four hours, and 
spend the other half in sitting over the fire, all busi- 
ness being at an end, and constant darkness pre- 
vailing. 



TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY. 

As the mute nightingale in closest groves 

Lies hid at noon, but when day's piercing eye 
Is lock'd in night, with full heart beating high 

Poureth her plain song o'er the light she loves : 

So, Virgin, ever pure, and ever blest, 

Moon of religion, from whose radiant face, 
Reflected streams the light of heavenly grace 

On broken hearts, by contrite thoughts oppress'd ; 

So, Mary, they who justly feel the weight 
Of Heaven's offended Majesty, implore 
Thy reconciling aid, with suppliant knee : 

Of sinful man, O sinless Advocate, 
To thee they turn, nor Him the less adore ; 
'Tis still His light they love, less dreadful seen in 
thee. G. Griffin. 

23 

I 



266 THIRD BOOK OF 

LESSON II. 

POPE PIUS VII AND NAPOLEON. 

Remonstrances, n., strong representations ; reasons urged against 
any previous act. F. remontrances, from (L.) re, and monstrare, 
to show, to accuse, from moneo, I remind. 

Pope, w., Father, — usually addressed, "Most Holy Father ;" Christ's 
vicar on earth, and visible head of the Church ; the sovereign of 
the states of the Church. F. pape ; I. S. L. papa ; G. pappas. 

Vice'roy, n., he who governs in place of the king ; a deputy govern- 
or with regal authority. F. vice-roi, — vice (L. vicis), stead or place 
of, — and roi, king. See " Regal," p. 62. 

En'voy, n., a public messenger or minister, in dignity below an am- 
bassador. F. envoye, — en, from (L.) in, on, and voie (L. via), the 
way. 

Intrep'id, a., firm, resolute, fearless ; without trembling. F. intre- 
pide ; L. intrepidus, — in, not, and trepidus, from trepido, I tremble. 

^ec'ognised, v., acknowledged, admitted ; literally — known again. 
L. recognitus, from re, and cognosco, — con, and nosco, I know. 

Po'tentate, n., a sovereign prince. F. potentat ; from potens, L., 
powerful. 

March, n., a limit ; the border of a territory or district ; and hence 
the title marquis (marchio), one who guarded the marches or fron- 
tiers. Teutonic, marchc ; Ger. mark ; A.S. mearc, a bound, a limit. 

Am'icable, a., friendly ; — from amicus, L., a friend. See " Amity," 
p. 89. 

Definitive, a., decisive, peremptory, final. F. definitif. See " Def- 
inite," p. 122. 

For " Emperor," see p. 62 ; " Rome," p. 244 ; " Italy," p. V\% ; " Be- 
nevolent," p. 19 ;.».« Basis," p. 234; "Catacombs," p. 146; and 
" Sovereign," p. 27. 

1. In October, 1805, during the course of the Aus- 
trian war, the French troops seized upon Ancona, 
the most important fortress in the ecclesiastical do- 
minions ; and the remonstrances of the Pope (Pius 
VII), against this violent invasion, were not only 
entirely disregarded, but Napoleon, in reply, openly 
asserted the principle, that he was emperor of Pome, 
and the Pope was only his viceroy. " All Italy," 
said Napoleon, " must be subjected to my law : your 
situation requires, that you should pay me the same 
respect in temporals, which I do you in spiritual 



READING LESSONS. 267 

matters. Tour Holiness must cease to have any 
delicacy towards my enemies and those of the Church. 
You are sovereign of Rome, hut I am its emperor : 
all my enemies must be its enemies ; no Sardinian, 
English, Russian, or Swedish envoy can be permitted 
to reside at your capital." 

2. The haughty and disdainful terms of this letter, 
and the open announcement of an undisguised sov- 
ereignty over the Roman states, first opened the eyes 
of the benevolent Pontiff to the real intention of the 
French emperor. He returned an intrepid answer 
to the conqueror of Austerlitz, that he recognised no 
earthly potentate as his superior ; and from that 
hour may be dated the hostility which grew up be- 
twixt them. "Your Majesty," said Pius YII, "lays 
it down as a fundamental principle, that you are 
sovereign of Rome ; the Supreme Pontiff recognises 
no such authority, nor any power superior in tempo- 
ral matters to his own. There is no emperor of 
Rome : it was not thus that Charlemagne treated our 
predecessors. The demand to dismiss the envoys of 
Russia, England, and Sweden, is positively refused ; 
the Father of the faithful is bound to remain at peace 
with all, without distinction of Catholics or here- 
tics." Napoleon, so far from relaxing in any of his 
demands, was only the more aroused by this unex- 
pected opposition, to increased exactions from the 
Holy See ; his troops spread over the whole Papal 
territory ; Rome itself was surrounded by his battal- 
ions ; and within half a mile of the Quirinal palace, 
preparations were openly made for the siege of 
Gaeta. 

3. Pius YII, however, was unshaken in his deter- 
mination. " If they choose," said he to M. Alquier, 



268 THIRD BOOK O-F 

the French envoy, " to seize upon Home, we shall 
make no resistance ; but we shall refuse them entry 
to the castle of St. Angelo. All the important points 
of our territory have been successively occupied by 
their troops, and the collectors of our taxes can no 
longer levy any imposts in the greater part of our 
territory, to provide for the contributions which have 
been imposed. We shall make no resistance, but 
your soldiers will require to break open the gates 
with cannon-shot. Europe shall see how we are 
treated ; and we shall, at least, prove that we have 
acted in conformity to our honour and our conscience. 
If they take away our life, the tomb will do us honour, 
and we shall be justified in the eyes of God and man." 
4. The French minister soon after intimated, that 
if the pope continued on any terms with the enemies 
of France, the emperor would be under the necessity 
of detaching the dutchy of Urbino, the march of An- 
cona, and the sea-coast of Oivita Yecchia, from the 
ecclesiastical territories ; but that he would greatly 
prefer remaining on amicable terms with his Holi- 
ness ; and with that view, he proposed, as the basis 
of a definitive arrangement between the two govern- 
ments, 1st, " That the ports of his Holiness should be 
closed to the British flag, on all occasions when Eng- 
land was at war with France ; 2nd, That the Papal 
fortresses should be occupied by the French troops, 
on all occasions when a foreign land-force is debarked 
on or menaces the coast of Italy." To these propo- 
sals, which amounted to a complete surrender of even 
the shadow of independence, the Pope returned a re- 
spectful but firm refusal, which concluded with these 
words : " His Majesty may, whenever he pleases, ex- 
ecute his menaces, and take from us whatever we pos- 
sess. We are resigned to everything, and shall never 






READING LESSONS. 269 

be so rash as to attempt resistance. Should he desire 
it, we shall instantly retire to a convent, or the cata- 
combs of Rome, like the first successors of St. Peter ; 
but think not, as long as we are entrusted with the 
responsibility of power, to make us by menaces vio- 
late its duties." 

Allison. 



LESSOR HI. 

PRAYER. 

Sole'ly, ad., exclusively. L. solum, from solus, alone, and this, prob- 
ably, from holos, G., all or whole. 

Per'fect, a., consummately virtuous ; thoroughly accomplished. F. 
par/ait, from (L.) perficio, — per, and facio, I do or accomplish. 

Illiterate, a., ignorant, unlettered ; not having literature. L. tl- 
literatus, — il, and literatus, — learned or lettered, from litera, a 
letter. 

Adore', v., to pray with reverence, humility, and love ; to worship. 
F. adorer; I. and L. adorare, — ad, and or are, to pray. See "Ora- 
tor," p. 201. 

Pray, v., to supplicate, to ask. F. prier, from precor, L., I beseech. 

Pub'lican, n., in this place, a toll-gatherer, a receiver of public dues 
or customs. F. publicain, from publicus, L., contracted from popu- 
licus, now populus, the people. 

Compunc'tion, n., penitential sorrow ; applied to the pangs or stings 
attending the recollection of guilt. F. componction. See " Pun- 
gent," p. 137. 

Pi'ety, n., the duty and love one owes to God, to his parents, and to 
his country. F. piete ; L. pietas ; of unknown origin. 

Appropriate, v., to take, to apply. F. approprier, from L. ad, and 
proprius, peculiar, from prope, near ; as persons draw or keep near 
them what is peculiar to them or their own. 

In'digence, n., poverty ; the state of being in want. F. indigence, 
from (L.) indigens, p. pt. of mdigere, — in, and egere, to be in want. 

1. Prayer is not a special gift set apart for privi- 
leged souls alone ; it is a common duty imposed upon 
every believer ; it is not solely a virtue of perfection, 
and reserved for certain purer and more holy souls : 
it is like charity, an indispensable virtue, requisite 
to the perfect as to the imperfect ; within the capa- 
city of the illiterate equally as of the learned ; com- 

23* 



270 THIRD BOOK OF 

manded to the simple as to the most enlightened : it 
is the virtue of all men ; it is the science of every 
believer ; it is the perfection of every creature. 

2. Whoever has a heart, and is capable of loving 
the Author of his being ; whoever has a reason ca- 
pable of knowing the nothingness of the creature and 
the greatness of God, must know how to adore, to 
return him thanks, and to have recourse to him ; to 
appease him when offended ; to call upon him when 
turned away; to thank him when favourable; to 
humble himself when he strikes ; to lay his wants 
before him, or to entreat his countenance and protec- 
tion. Thus, be ye who you may that now listen to 
me, imitate the woman of Canaan ; be faithful to 
prayer, and in the fulfilment of this duty you will 
find all the rest sustained and rendered easy. If a 
sinner, pray ; it was through prayer alone that the 
publican and the sinful woman of the Gospel ob- 
tained feelings of compunction, and the grace of a 
thorough penitence ; and prayer is the only source 
and the only path of righteousness. If righteous, 
still pray ; perseverance in faith and in piety is 
promised only to prayer ; and by prayer it was that 
Job, that David, that Tobias persevered to the end. 
If you live amid sinners, and your duty does not 
permit you to withdraw yourself from the sight of 
their irregularities and examples, pray ; the greater 
the dangers, the more necessary does prayer become ; 
the three children in the flames, and Jonas in the 
belly of a monster, found safety only through prayer. 
If the engagements of your birth or of your station 
attach you to the court of kings, pray : Esther, in 
the court of Assuerus ; Daniel, in that of Darius ; 
the prophets, in the palaces of the kings of Israel, 
were solely indebted to prayer for their life and sal- 



READING LESSONS. 271 

vation. If you live in retirement, pray : solitude 
itself becomes a rock, if a continual intercourse with 
God does not defend us against ourselves ; and Ju- 
dith in the secrecy of her house, and the widow Ann 
in the temple, and the Antonies in the desert, found 
the fruit and the security of their retreat in prayer 
alone. If established in the Church for the instruc- 
tion of the people, pray: all the power and all the 
success of the ministry must depend upon your 
prayers ; and the apostles converted the universe, 
solely because they had appropriated nothing to 
themselves but prayer and the preaching of the 
Gospel. 

3. Lastly, whoever you are, I again repeat it, in 
prosperity or indigence, in joy or in affliction, in 
trouble or in peace, in fervency or in despondency, 
in sin or in the w r ays of righteousness, advanced in 
virtue or still in the first steps of penitence, pray : 
prayer is the safety of all stations, the consolation of 
all sorrows, the duty of all conditions, the soul of 
piety, the support of faith, the grand foundation of 
religion, and all religion itself. O my God ! shed, 
then, upon us that spirit of grace and of prayer 
which was to be the distinguishing mark of thy 
Church, and the portion of a new people ; and purify 
our hearts and our lips, that we may be enabled to 
offer up to thee pure homages, fervent sighs, and 
prayers worthy of the eternal riches which thou hast 
so often promised to those who shall have well en- 
treated thee. 

Massillon. 



272 THIRD BOOK OF 



PRAYER. 

1. There is an eye that never sleeps, 

Beneath the wing of night ; 
There is an ear that never shuts, 
"When sink the beams of light. 

2. There is an arm that never tires, 

When human strength gives way ; 
There is a love that never fails, 
When earthly loves decay. 

3. That eye is fix'd on seraph throngs ; 
That ear is fill'd with angels' songs ; 
That arm upholds the world on high ; 
That love is throned beyond the sky. 

4. But there's a power which man can wield 

When mortal aid is vain ; — 
That eye, that arm, that love to reach, 

That list'ning ear to gain. 
That pow'r is pray'r, which soars on high, 
And feeds on bliss beyond the sky ! 



Anon. 



LESSON IY. 

GRAVITY OR ATTRACTION. 

Gen'eral, a., pertaining to all of a kind ; opposed to special. F. and 

S. general ; L. generalis, of a kind (genus, kind), from genein, G., 

to beget. 
Attract', v., to draw or bring to. F. attraire ; L. attraho, — ad, and 

traho, I draw. 
Va'pour, n., steam, a fume, an exhalation. S. and L. vapor, from 

kapus, Or., a puff, a gentle breeze. 
Al'titude, n., elevation, height. L. altitudo, from alius, high. 



READING LESSONS. 273 

Cu'bic, a., having the form of a cube — which is a square solid, having 
length, breadth, and depth; hence a "cubic foot" is 12 times 12 

» times 12 times, or 1128 inches. F. cubique, from (L.) cubus, G. 
kubos, a cube. 
Flu'id, n., a term applied to that whose parts are easily separable ; 
anything that flows. Y.fluide, from finer e, L., to flow. 

Contiguous, a., bordering or adjoining ; touching one another. L. 
contiguus, from contingo, — con, and tango, I touch. 

Mer'cury, n., quicksilver, which is one of the semi-metals, not being 
malleable in our temperature : the metals are gold, silver, copper, 
tin, iron, and lead. 

Met'al, n., a hard, compact body, fusible and malleable {malleus, L. — 
a mallet or hammer), i.e., capable, when beaten, of extension, with- 
out the particles being separated. F. and S. metal ; G. metallon, 
— meta, with, and allon, another ; for where one vein is found, an- 
other is presumed to be near. 

Repul'sion, n., the act or power of driving off from itself. L. repul- 
sus, a drawing back, a striking again, from repulso, — re, and pulso, 
I strike. 

For "Process," see p. 150; "Granite," p. 223; "Surface," p. 258; 
"Sublime," p. 161; "Genius," p. 17; "Solar," p. 122 ;— and for 
deriv. of "Globules," (little globes), see "Globular," p. 155 ; and 
of " Constituent," see " Constitutes," p. 213. 

To exemplify the process by which a general truth 
or law of nature is discovered, we shall take the 
physical law of gravity or attraction. It was ob- 
served that bodies in general, if raised from the 
earth, and left unsupported, fell towards it ; while 
flame, smoke, vapours, &c, if left free, ascended 
awav from the earth. It was held, therefore, to be 
a very general law, that things had weight ; but that 
there were exceptions in such matters' as were in 
their nature light or ascending. It was discovered 
that our globe of earth is surrounded by an ocean of 
air, having nearly fifty miles of altitude or depth, 
and of which a cubic foot, taken near the surface of 
the earth, weighs about an ounce. It was then per- 
ceived that flame, smoke, vapour, &c, rise in the 
air only as oil rises in water, viz., because not so 
heavy as the fluid by which they are surrounded : 
it followed, therefore, that nothing was known on 
earth naturally light, in the ancient sense of the 



274 THIRD BOOK OF 

word. It was found that bodies floating in water, 
near to each other, approached and feebly cohered ; 
that any contiguous hanging bodies were drawn to- 
wards each other, so as not to hang quite perpen- 
dicularly ; and that a plummet, suspended near a 
hill, was drawn towards the hill with force only so 
much less than that with which it was drawn to- 
wards the earth, viz., the weight of the plummet, as 
the hill was smaller than the earth. It was then 
proved, that weight itself is only an instance of a 
more general mutual attraction, operating between 
all the constituent elements of this globe; and which 
explains, moreover, the fact of the rotundity of the 
globe, all the parts being drawn towards a common 
centre ; as also the form of dew-drops, globules of 
mercury, and of many other things ; which, still 
further, is the reason why the distinct particles of 
which any solid mass, as a stone or a piece of metal, 
is composed, cling together as a mass, but which, 
when overcome by the repulsion of heat, allows the 
same particles to assume the form of a liquid or air. 
It was farther observed, that all the heavenly bodies 
are round, and must, therefore, consist of materials 
obeying the same law : and lastly, that these bodies, 
however distant, attract each other ; for that the 
tides of our ocean rise in obedience to the attraction 
of the moon, and become high or spring tides, when 
the moon and sun operate in the same direction. 
Thus the sublime truth was at last made evident by 
the genius of the immortal Newton, that there is a 
power of attraction connecting together the bodies of 
this solar system at least, and probably limited only 
by the bounds of the universe. 

Arnott. 



BEADING LESSOKS. 275 

LESSON V. 

EXCELLENCE AND USES OF THE EYE. 

A'gency, n., instrumentality. F. agence, from (L.) agens, p. pt. of 

agere, to do or act. 
In'nocent, a., faultless. F. innocent, from noceo, L., I hurt. 
Emphatically, ad., in a significant manner ; appropriately, forcibly. 

L. emphatice, from emphasis (L. and G.), — G. em, and jo/icms, from 

phaein, to speak. 
Sculp'tor, m., a graver, a carver ; one who cuts wood or stone into 

images. L. sculptor, from sculpo, I cut, I carve. 
Vis'ual, a., pertaining to the sight : — the term is applied to what 

exercises or falls under the faculty of vision or power of sight. F. 

visuel. See " Vision," p. 168. 
Domes'tic, a., pertaining to a house or family. F. domestique ; L. 

domesticus, from domus, a house ; G. domos, a house, from demo } I 

build. 
Appreciate ('-she-), v., to value, to estimate. F. apprecier, to fix a 

price. L. pretium, price. 
Mir'rored, pt, reflected, thrown, or given back. F. miroir, a mirror 

or looking glass, from mirer, — L. mirare, to look, to behold. 
Zeal (zeel), n. } warmth, fervour, ardour. F. zele ; G. zelos, from zeo, 

I glow. 
Eter'nity, ti., a duration without bounds or limitsp duration without 

end : — that which has always been, is without beginning ; that 

which always shall be, is without ending. F. eternite, from cevum, 

L., an age. 
Prudence (proo'-), n., wisdom discreetly applied to practice. F. 

prudence, from (L.) prudens, from providens, provident, wise, 

thoughtful. 

1. By the agency of this little organ it is, that one 
of the most innocent and rational sources of recrea- 
tion has been opened to the human mind. It is the 
parent of those delightful classes of elegant science, 
which have been emphatically denominated the fine 
arts. By combining the impressions, which it en- 
abled them to treasure in their recollection, the ar- 
chitects of ancient Greece constructed those noble 
edifices, which, even in their ruins, affect the mind 
so forcibly by their mingled grandeur and simplicity. 
By this sense it is, that the sculptor is enabled to 



276 THIRD BOOK OF 

chain the admiration of the world, and to praise the 
Creator in a lofty manner, by the imitation of his 
works. By % this sense the painter makes us acquaint- 
ed with the visual splendours of other climes, and 
secures to a fond domestic circle the image of a lost 
and beloved member, even when the hues and form 
that furnished the subject of his task, are faded into 
dust and ashes. By this organ it is, that we are 
made acquainted with the persons and features of 
those great men, who have influenced the condition 
of mankind in times long past, and shed a lustre on 
the page of history. 

2. But it is not for the purpose of enjoying a brief 
and transient, although exquisite, happiness, that 
you have been gifted with this enchanting faculty. 
It is given you for higher and far more beneficial 
uses. It enables you to behold and applaud the vis- 
ible wonders of the Creator, and by the constant ob- 
servation of h^s benefits, to raise your hearts in grati- 
tude and affection to him, who fashioned all things 
into shapes so fair, and tinged them with hues so 
beautiful. 

3. To appreciate all the excellence of this wonder- 
ful organ, cast your eyes in the depth of a star-light 
night upon the skies. Every star which you there 
behold, is a globe of many thousands of miles in 
diameter, and yet what a number of those worlds can 
be comprehended in a single glance ! Consider, now, 
the excellence of that little organ, in the bottom of 
which, that vast circumference, with all those illu- 
minated worlds, is pictured in so minute a space, 
with so much accuracy and distinctness. 

4. But it is in the indications which it affords of 
the affections and emotions of the mind within that 



READING LESSONS. 277 

the chief beauty of this organ consists. In what part 
of the frame are the affections mirrored so beauti- 
fully as here? In joy, how bright and sparkling is 
the appearance of the eye ! The lid is raised, and 
the slight gush of tears heightens the brilliancy of 
its reflection, while it seems to start forward, as if 
eager to meet the impression which has awakened 
so lively a sensation within the mind. In grief, how 
touching in its depression ! The lid falls, the lashes 
droop, and the eye-ball seeks the earth, as if unwill- 
ing to disturb, by the sight of any other object, the 
memory of that beloved and long-accustomed one, 
which it shall never more behold on earth. How 
amiable its half-shut and retiring look, when merit, 
diffident even of itself, hesitates to assume its right- 
ful place in the social order! How glorious is the 
fire which fills it, when a tempered zeal for truth, or 
injured homes and altars, is swelling in the heart! 
Track it through all its changes, whether it glistens 
with compassion, lights up with courage, or droops 
with humility, and in every instance, you will find 
it the silent tongue of the heart — the window of the 
affections. 

5. Remember, also, the destiny of this sense. It 
is not given you for purposes merely temporal and 
earthly. Its destiny in time is not to tempt you to 
fix your affections on scenes and spectacles which 
shall pass away, but to furnish you with motives for 
divine love, and enable you to acquire wisdom. Its 
destiny in eternity is to behold the God that made it 
for ever and for ever. 

6. Employ this happy gift with prudence and self- 
possession, and reserve the full enjoyment of its pow- 
er to that promised time, when it shall be called to 

24 



278 THIED BOOK OF 

look upon light that fades not, hues that change not, 
and forms which shall never be dissolved. 

G. Griffin. 



FRAGMENT. 

Safe in the hand of one disposing power, 

Or in the natal, or the mortal hour, 

All nature is but art unknown to thee ; 

All chance, direction which thou canst not see! 

All discord, harmony not understood ; 

All partial evil, universal good. 

And, spite ol pride, in erring reason's spite, 

One truth is clear, — whatever is, is right. 

Pope. 



LESSON VI 



OCEANICA. 



Archipel'ago (ar-ke-), n., a sea containing a number of small islands. 
The word is thought to be a corruption of argeiopelagus, — the 
Argive or Grecian Sea. A.N. of the European Archipelago, — 
Mare ^Egwum, or ^Egean Sea. 

Frigid (frid'-jid), a., cold. L. frigidus, from frigere, to be cold, and 
this probably from (G.) phrike, shuddering.- 

Zoophyte (zo'-o-fite), n., substances partaking of the nature both of 
vegetables and animals. G. zoophytos, from zoiin, an animal, and 
phuton, a plant. 

Calcareous, a., stony, flinty ; resembling limestone. L. calcarius, 
from calx, — calcis, lime, from (G.) chalix (ch as k), a stone, or frag- 
ments of stones. 

Volca'no, »., a mountain that, like Etna or Vesuvius, casts forth 
flames and smoke. I. mdcano, from Vulcayus, L., the god of fire. 

Sco'ri^e, n., gross substances ; dregs. L. scorioe, from skor, G., dregs. 

Prismat'ic, a., cut or formed like a prism, which in mensuration is 
an oblong solid body. A triangular prism has three faces or sides, 
and two triangular bases ; and there are as many varieties in the 
form of this prism as there are varieties in the form of triangles. 
F. prismatigue, from (L. and G.) prisma, a prism, from priein, G., 
to cut. 



READING LESSONS. 279 

Cythe'ra, n., a beautiful island, which was dedicated to Venus, be- 
tween Peloponnesus (now the Morea), and Crete (now Candia), at 
present one of the Ionian islands, and called Cerigo. 

Enam'el, n., anything enamelled or variegated with inlaid colours. 
To enamel means to fix colours by melting in fire. F. emailler, to 
enamel ; D. smelten, from myltan, A.S., to melt. 

Cor'al, a., of or consisting of coral, which is a marine plant of a 
porous texture and stony hardness. F. cor ail ; G. korralion, of 
doubtful etymology. 

For "Labyrinth," see p. 146; "Continent," p. 262; "Rampart," p. 
263; "Verdant," p. 82; "Ambiguous," p. 116; "Picturesque," 
p. 204; "Peak," p. 263; " Amphitheatre," p. 186; "Atmosphere," 
p. 25 ; " Melody," p. 189; and "Jessamine," p. 35. 

1. There extends over a space of more than 8000 
miles a labyrinth of islands, an immense archipelago, 
in the midst of which are twenty countries, spacious 
like minor continents, and one of them nearly equal- 
ling Europe in extent. These regions present in 
every quarter scenes fitted to move the most frigid 
imagination. Many nations are here found in their 
earliest infancy. The amplest openings have been 
afforded for commercial activity. Numberless val- 
uable productions have been already laid under con- 
tribution to our insatiable luxury. Here many nat- 
ural treasures still remain concealed from scientific 
observation. How numerous are the gulfs, the ports, 
the straits, the lofty mountains, and the smiling 
plains ! What magnificence, what solitude, what 
originality, and what variety ! Here the zoophyte, 
the motionless inhabitant of the Pacific Ocean, 
creates a rampart of calcareous rock round the bank 
of sand on which it has grown. Grains of seed are 
brought to this spot by the birds, or wafted by the 
winds. The nascent verdure makes daily acquisi- 
tions of strength, till the young palm waves its ver- 
dant foliage over the surface of the waters. Each 
shallow is converted into an island, and each island 
improved into a garden. We behold at a distance a 
dark volcano ruling over a fertile country, generated 



280 THIRD BOOK OF 

by its own sulphureous overflowings, or black lava. 
A rapid and charming vegetation is displayed by the 
side of heaps of ashes and of scoriae. Where the 
land is more extended, scenes more vast present 
themselves ; sometimes the ambiguous iron-coloured 
stone called basalt, rises majestically in prismatic 
columns, or lines, to a distance too great for the eye 
to reach, the solitary shore with its picturesque ruins. 
Sometimes enormous primitive peaks boldly shoot 
up among the clouds ; while, hung on their sides, 
the dark pine-forest varies the immense void of the 
desert with its gloomy shade. In another place, a 
coast, sloping insensibly beneath the surface of the 
sea, stretches afar into dangerous shallows, where 
the noisy waves break into spray. To these sublime 
horrors, a scene of enchantment suddenly succeeds. 
A new Cythera emerges from the bosom of the en- 
chanted wave. An amphitheatre of verdure rises to 
our view. Tufted groves mingle their foliage with 
the brilliant enamel of the meadows. An eternal 
spring, combining with an eternal autumn, displays 
its opening blossom along with the ripened fruits. 

2. A perfume of exquisite sweetness embalms the 
atmosphere, which is continually refreshed by the 
wholesome breezes from the sea. A thousand rivu- 
lets trickle down the hills, and mingle their plaintive 
murmurs with the joyful melody of the birds anima- 
ting the thickets. Under the shade of the cocoa, the 
smiling, but modest hamlets present themselves, 
roofed with banana leaves, and decorated with gar- 
lands of jessamine. Here might mankind, if they 
would only throw off their vices, lead lives exempt 
from trouble and from want. Their bread grows on 
the trees which shade their lawns, the scenes of their 
festive amusement. Their light barks glide in peace 



READING LESSONS. 281 

on the lagoons or lakes, protected from the swelling 
surge by the coral reefs surrounding their whole 
island, at a short distance from the shore, and con- 
fining their domestic water in the stillness of a 
prison. 

Malte Brtjn. 



LESSON VII. 

WHO IS THY NEIGHBOUR? 

1. Thy neighbour ? It is he whom thou 

Hast power to aid and bless — 
Whose aching heart or burning brow 
Thy soothing hand may press. 

2. Thy neighbour ? 'Tis the fainting poor, 

Whose eye with want is dim, 
Whom hunger sends from door to door — 
Go thou, and succour him. 

3. Thy # neighbour ? 'Tis that weary man 

Whose years are at their brim, 
But low with sickness, cares, and pain — 
Go thou, and comfort him. 

4. Thy neighbour ? 'Tis the heart bereft 

Of every earthly gem ; 
Widow and orphan, helpless left — 
Go thou, and shelter them. 

5. Thy neighbour ? — Yonder toiling slave, 

Fetter'd in thought and limb, 
Whose hopes are all beyond the grave — 
Go thou, and ransom him. 
24* 



282 



THIRD BOOK OF 



6. Where'er thou meet'st a human form 

Less favour'd than thy own, 
Remember 'tis thy neighbour worm, 
Thy brother or thy son. 

7. Oh ! pass not, pass not heedless by ; 

Perhaps thou canst redeem 
The breaking heart from misery — 
Go, share thy lot with him. 



Anon. 



SONNET. 

"What art thou, Mighty One ! and where thy seat ? 
Thou broodest on the calm that cheers the lands, 
And thou dost bear within thine awful hands 
The rolling thunder and the lightning's fleet ; 
Stern on thy dark-wrought car of cloud and wind, 
Thou guid'st the northern storm at night's dead 

noon, 
Or, on the red wing of the fierce monsoon, 
Disturb'st the sleeping giant of the Ind. i 
In the drear silence of the polar span, 

Dost thou repose ? or in the solitude 
Of sultry tracts, where the lone caravan 

Hears nightly howl the tiger's hungry brood ? 
Vain thought ! the confines of His throne to trace, 
Who glows through all the fields of boundless space. 

H. K. White. 



READING LESSONS. 283 

LESSON vin. 

ON FISHES. 

Aur'icle, n., the ear : the two muscular caps covering the ventricles 
of the heart are, from their resemblance to the ear, called auricles ; 
from (L.) auris (i. e., audls), an ear, from audio, I hear. 

Ven'trici.e, n., any small cavity in an animal body ; the stomach. 
L. ventriculus, — from venter, the stomach. 

Oxygen (oks'-), n^ that principle in the air, which renders it capable 
of being breathed ; a constituent part both of air and water, — by 
combining with other bodies, it renders them acid, and hence its 
name oxygen, from (G.) oxus, acid, sour, and gennein, to produce. 

Deteriorated, a., less pure. F. deteriore, from (L.) detero, — de, and 
tero, I make worse. 

Pec'toral, a., of or pertaining to the breast. F. and S. pectoral, 
from (L.) pectus, the breast. 

Dor's al, a., belonging to the back ; from (L.) dorsum, the back. 

Caudal (kaw'-), a., tail-like ; from (L.) cauda, a tail. 

Skel'eton, n., a carcase with the flesh decayed ; the dried, bare 
bones connected. G. skeleton, from skello, I dry up. 

Ver'tebr^e, n., a joint where the bones meet, so as they may turn, — 
as the back bones. L. vertebra?, from verto, I turn. 

Os'seous, a., bony. L. osseus, from os, — ossis (G. osteon), a bone. 

Olfac'tory, a., smelling, having sense of smell ; from (L.) olfacio, — 
oleo, I smell, and facio, I cause or make. 

Carxiv'orous, a., flesh-devouring. L. carnivorus, — caro, — carnis, 
flesh, and voro, I devour. 

For "Apparatus," see p. 150; "Membrane," p. 95; "Articula- 
tions," p. 227; " Longitudinallv," p. 18; "Filaments," p. 14S ; 
" Flexible," p. 55 ; " Compact," p."l51 ; " Concave," p. 135 ; " Vision," 
p. 168 ; "Glutinous," p. 213 ; and "Modified," p. 199. 

1. A fish may be defined, a vertebrate animal, 
breathing through the medium of water by means of 
branchiae, or gills, having one auricle and one ven- 
tricle to the heart, cold, red blood, and extremities 
formed for swimming. 

2. In considering fishes, perhaps the most impor- 
tant thing which offers itself to our attention is, the 
apparatus caled the hranchice, or gills. This appa- 
ratus is situated on each side of the neck, and con- 
sists of numerous laminae, which are thin flakes, or 
scale-like plates, fixed on arches. These laminae are 
covered with innumerable blood-vessels, and are so 



284 THIRD BOOK OF 

constructed as to present a considerable surface to 
the water, so that the blood may receive a sufficient 
portion of the oxygen contained in that element. As 
the water in contact with the gills becomes deterio- 
rated, it is necessary that a constant current be caused 
to flow over them. In most fishes, this is effected by 
their taking the water in at the mouth, and expelling 
it from under the gill-covers. The blood, which is 
constantly sent to the branchiae from the heart, is 
distributed by means of the arteries to every part of 
the body, whence it returns to the heart by means of 
the veins. 

3. The limbs are formed into fins, the fore-legs 
constituting what is termed the pectoral fins, and the 
posterior extremities, the ventral fins : besides these 
fins, ordinary fishes are furnished with one or two 
dorsal fins, and a caudal fin. 

4. All these fins are not always present, nor 
when present, are they always in the same rela- 
tive position : the absence of certain fins, and the 
peculiar position of these organs, afford characters in 
the classification of fishes. The fins consist of a thin, 
elastic membrane, supported by rays. The rays are 
of two kinds : those which consist of a single bony 
piece, usually hard and pointed, are termed spinous 
rays, being long and thin, like a spine or thorn ; and 
when the rays are formed of numerous portions of 
bone, united by articulations, and frequently divided 
longitudinally into several filaments, they are called 
flexible rays. The principal organ of motion is the 
tail ; the dorsal and ventral fins apparently serve to 
balance the fish, and the pectoral, to arrest its pro- 
gress when required. 

5. The bones of fishes are of a less dense and com- 



READING LESSONS. 285 

pact nature than in the higher orders of animals. 
The skeleton may be divided into four chief parts ; 
the vertebral column, the head, the respiratory appa- 
ratus, and the limbs. The vertebral column consists 
of vertebrae, which are concave at each end and 
pierced in the middle ; and when joined together, 
the hollow place between each two is occupied by a 
glutinous substance, which passes from one space to 
the next, through the hole in each bone. 

6. The teeth in fishes are almost entirely osseous ; 
they are usually of a simple, spine-like form, and re- 
curved at the tip. Teeth are found in almost every 
bone in the interior of the mouth. 

7. As regards the senses, those of taste and touch 
appear to be but slightly developed in fishes. When 
we find the tongue thickly covered with teeth, as js 
often the case, and used as an organ of prehension ; 
and when we consider the quick manner in which 
the food is swallowed, it would certainly appear that 
their sense of taste is very slight. 

8. The eyes are differently placed in the various 
species of fishes, in accordance with their habits ; for 
the most part they are placed laterally, or side-wise, 
and in some, as those that live at the bottom of the 
water, we find them directed upwards. 

9. The sight of fishes is acute ; the range of vision, 
however, is probably somew r hat limited. The eyes, 
which are furnished w T ith a spherical lens, are gener- 
ally large; but in some species they are very small, 
whilst others appear to be destitute of them. 

10. Although fishes appear not to possess certain 
portions of the auditory apparatus observed in ani- 
mals of a higher grade, they, nevertheless, possess 
the sense of hearing. 



286 THIRD BOOK OF 

11. There are reasons for the belief, that the sense 
of smell in fishes is tolerably acute; their olfactory 
nerves are of a large size, and disposed over a con- 
siderable extent of surface. 

12. By far the greater number of fishes are of car- 
nivorous habits ; there are some, however, which feed 
upon vegetable substances, and we find the stomach 
modified accordingly, as in other animals. 

Cyclopedia. 



LESSON IX. 

ARCHITECTURE. 

Ar'chttrave, n., the chief beam, or that part of the entablature which 
rests immediately on the heads of the columns, and is surmounted 
by the frieze ; it is also called the epistyle, from (G.) epi, upon, and 
stylos, a column. F. I. and S. architrave, — arche, G., chief, and 
trabs, L., a beam. 

Frieze (freeze), n., that portion of an entablature between the cor- 
nice above and the architrave below. F.frise, from (L.) phrygo- 
nius, enriched or embroidered ; because the frieze is the recipient 
of sculptured enrichments of foliage, figures, <fcc. 

Cor'nice, n., that which rests on the frieze : the term is applied to 
the mouldings on the highest part of a wall, pillar, entablature, 
<fec. I. cornice, from coronix, L. (G. koronis), the apex or crown of 
anything. 

Or'der, n., a column with its entablature and stylobate. F. ordre ; 
L. ordo, probably from ordiri, to begin. 

Col'umn (lum), n., a tapering, cylindrical mass, placed perpendicular- 
ly on a pedestal : its larger end is called the base ; the smaller, 
the capital ; and the tapering mass or body, the shaft. L. colum- 
na, from columen, a roof, so called because the ancients covered 
their buildings with thatch or straw : culmus, straw. 

Entab'lature, n., that part of the order which rests on the tablet, or 
abacus of a column. F. entablement, from (L.) in, upon, and tabula, 
a tablet. 

Ped'estal, n., the lower member or footstall of a column, or that 
whereon it rests; the basement of a column or any single object. 
Stylobate is the term applied to a continued and unbroken base- 
ment to a series of columns, — from (G.) stylos, a column, and ba- 
sis, a base. S. pedestal, — G. poys or pous, a foot, and stylos. 

Tri'glyph, n., a perpendicularly channelled tablet of the Doric frieze, 
so called because of the three angular channels in it. A metope 



READING LESSONS. 287 

(middle space, G.) is a square sunk space between every pair of 
triglyphs. F. triglyphe; G. triglyphos, from treis, three, and glyphe, 
an incision or channel. 

Den'ticles, n., the cogged or toothed member, common in the bed- 
mould of a Corinthian entablature, is said to be dentilled. and each 
cog or tooth is called a dentil, or denticle ; — L. denticulus, from 
dens, a tooth. 

Pin'nacle, n., the slender, tapering head of a turret or buttress ; a 
small spire, or the head of a spire or steeple. F. pinacle ; L. pin- 
naculum, from pinna, a wing. 

Ram'ified, «., branching or extending, as the branches from a trunk ; 
from ramus, L., a branch. 

Fret'ted, a., diversified, or variegated with raised work; cut or 
carved in many parts, so as to project forward ; from the Lfratto, 
broken, split. 

For "Structure," see p. 184; "Conical," p. 65; "Corinthian," p. 48 ; 
" Cube," p. 273 ; " Architect," p. 187 ; " Symmetry," p. 69 ; " Nich- 
es," p. 105 ; and " Intersecting," p. 146. 

1. Fkom the earliest periods of society, the art of 
building has been cultivated by mankind ; and the 
origin of all buildings may be deduced from the con- 
struction of the meanest huts. These were, at first, 
made in a conical form, which is the simplest in 
structure ; but being inconvenient, on account of its 
inclined sides, both- the form and construction of the 
huts were changed, by giving them the shape of a 
cube. 

2. Mankind at length improved in the art of build- 
ing, and invented methods of rendering their habita- 
tions durable and convenient. The trunks of trees, 
deprived of their bark and other inequalities of sur- 
face, were raised above the humid soil, by means of 
stones, and covered each with a flat stone, or slate, 
to exclude the rain ; and the interstices, or spaces 
between the ends of the joists, were closed with wax 
or clay. The roof was altered, and elevated in the 
centre by rafters, to support the materials of the cov- 
ering, and to carry off the water. When the rude 
builder erected more stately edifices, he imitated 
those parts which, from necessity, had composed the 



288 THIRD BOOK OF 

primitive huts. The upright trees, with stones at 
each end, became the origin of columns, bases, and 
capitals ; and the beams, joists, and rafters, which 
formed the covering, gave rise to architraves, friezes, 
and cornices. 

3. The Greeks, whose genius prompted them to 
combine elegance and convenience, derived their 
ideas of building from the Egyptians. But the mind 
of man is influenced by the government under which 
he lives : the Greeks lost, with their independence, 
the ascendancy in works of genius, and from that 
period the Romans encouraged this noble art. Yi- 
truvius, the learned Roman architect, had Julius Cae- 
sar and Augustus for his patrons, and though em- 
ployed in few works of magnificence, his rules for ar- 
chitecture were highly esteemed by the ancients, and 
are still a standard among the moderns. The Ro- 
mans carried to the highest perfection the five orders 
of architecture ; the Tuscan, the Doric, the Ionic, the 
Corinthian, and the Composite ; and though the mod- 
erns have materially improved the general structure 
of buildings, nothing has been added to the beauty 
and symmetry of these columns. 

4. To give an idea of the orders, it must be ob- 
served that the whole of each is divided into two 
parts at least — the column and entablature ; and of 
four parts at most, when there is a pedestal under 
the column, and an acroterat, or little pedestal, sur- 
rounded by the entablature : that the column has 
three parts — the base, the shaft, and the capital ; the 
entablature has three likewise — the architrave, the 
frieze, and the cornice. 

5. The Tuscan order had its name and origin in 
Tuscany, first inhabited by a colony from Lydia, 






READING LESSONS. 289 



whence it is likely the order is but the simplified 
Doric. On account of its strong and massive pro- 
portions, it is called the Rustic order, and is chiefly 
used in edifices of that character, composed of a few 
parts, devoid of ornament, and capable of supporting 
the heaviest weights. The Tuscan order will always 
live were strength and solidity are required. The 
Trajan column at Rome, of this order, is less remark- 
able for the beauty of its proportions, than for the 
admirable pillar w T ith which it is decorated. Its col- 
umn is seven diameters high ; and its capital, base, 
and entablature, have but few mouldings or orna- 
ments. 

6. The Doric order, so called from Dorus, who 
built a magnificent temple in the city of Argos, and 
dedicated it to Juno, is grave, robust, and of mascu- 
line appearance ; whence it is figuratively termed 
the Herculean order. This order possesses nearly 
the same character for strength as the Tuscan, but is 
enlivened with ornaments in the frieze and capital. 
In various ancient remains of this order, the propor- 
tions of the columns are different. Ion, who built a 
temple to Apollo in Asia, taking his idea from the 
structure of man, gave six times the diameter of the 
base for the height of the column. This order has 
no ornament on its base or on its capital : its height 
is eight diameters ; its frieze is divided into triglyphs 
and metopes, where all the parts of the order are ac- 
curately defined ; which gives it complete. 

7. The Ionic order derived its origin from the peo- 
ple of Ionia. The column is more slender than the 
Doric, but more graceful. Its ornaments are elegant, 
and in a style between the richness of the Corinthian 
and the plainness of the Tuscan ; simple, graceful, 

25 



290 THIRD BOOK OF 

and majestic. When Hermogenes built the temple 
of Bacchus, at Teos, he rejected the Doric after the 
marbles had been prepared, and in its stead adopted 
the Ionic. The temples of Diana at Ephesus, of 
Apollo at Miletus, and of the Delphic oracle, were 
of this order. Michael Angelo, contrary to all other 
authors, gives the Ionic a single row of leaves at the 
bottom of the capital. 

8. The Corinthian, the finest of all the orders, and 
as first used at Corinth, is expressive of delicacy, ten- 
derness, and beauty. The capital, so rich and grace- 
ful, was suggested to Callimachus, by an acanthus 
entwining its leaves around a votive basket, that 
adorned the grave of an illustrious young lady. The 
column is ten diameters high. 

9. The Composite order, invented, it is said, by 
the Romans, partakes of the Ionic and Corinthian 
orders ; but principally of the latter. Its column is 
ten diameters high, and its cornice has denticles, or 
simple modillions. 

10. Gothic architecture lias numerous and promi- 
nent buttresses, lofty spires and pinnacles, large and 
ramified windows, ornamental niches and canopies, 
with sculptured saints and angels, delicate lace-work, 
fretted roofs, and an indiscriminate profusion of orna- 
ments. But its most distinguishing characters are 
small clustered pillars and pointed arches, formed by 
the segments of two intersecting circles. This style 
is supposed by some to be of Arabian origin, intro- 
duced into Europe by the crusaders, or those who 
made pilgrimages to the Holy Land ; while Dr. 
Milner thinks we are indebted for it to the Anglo- 
Normans and the English. 

Cyclopedia. 






READING LESSONS. 291 

LESSON X. 

THE GIANT'S CAUSEWAY. 

An'trim, n., a maritime county in Ulster, bounded on tne N. by the 
Northern Ocean; E., by the Irish Sea; S., by Lough Neagh and 
Co. Down ; and W., by Cos. Derry and Tyrone. Its area is com- 
puted at 758,808 acres, of which 225,970 are mountain and bog, 
and 49,790, are under water. The population, including that of 
Belfast, is 351,496. In the ancient division of Ireland, the south- 
ern and south-western parts of this county were included in the 
territory called Ulidia ; the western and north-western were des- 
ignated Dalrieda ; and the name of the whole was Andruim, sig- 
nifying the " habitation upon the waters." Nennius mentions the 
"regions of Dalrieda" as the ultimate settlement of the Scythian 
colony in Ireland. 

Hexag'onal, a., six-sided ; having six sides and corners. L. hexago- 
nus, from (G.) hex, six, and gonia, an angle or corner. 

Pentagon, n., sl figure with five angles, and consequently, five sides. 
F. pentagone, from (G.) pente, five, and gonia. 

Prec/ipice, n., sl place whence the descent is headlong; a situation 
without gradual slope, from which the fall or descent is sudden or 
dangerous. F. precipice, from prcecipito, L., I fall headlong. 

Parade', n., a walk or pathway, as in this place : a place where dis- 
play or exhibition may be made. F. parade, from paro, L., I make 
ready. 

Coincide', v., to fall upon the same superficial space. F. coincider ; 
cado, L., I fall. 

Inver'ted, pL, turned inwards ; reversed or turned in the contrary 
direction. L. inversus, from inverto, — in, and verto, I turn. 

Dissimilitude, n., want of resemblance ; unlikeness. F. dissi?nili- 
tude, from (L.) disshnilis, — dis, and similis, like. 

Pil'lar, n., a columnar mass of no particular form. Columns are vul- 
garly called pillars ; but architects make a distinction (see " Col- 
umn," last lesson), restricting this term to such pillars as do not 
come within the description of a column. F. pilier ; L. pila, a pile 
or pillar laid upon the ground to sustain anything laid or reared 
upon it. 

Oblique (-like'), a., inclining, diverging ; deviating from a perpendic- 
ular or right line. F. oblique, from obliquus, L., slant. 

For "Socket," see p. 230 ; "Convexity," and " Concavity," p. 135. 
For derivation of " Impending," see " Pendulous," p. 69. 

1. On the north-west of the county of Antrim, 
opening into the Atlantic, is a great natural curiosi- 
ty : it consists of a vast collection of basaltic pillars, 
extending several miles along the coast, and divided 
into fragments, or parts of causeways. 



292 THIRD BOOK OF 

2. The chief causeway consists of a regular ar- 
rangement of millions of pentagonal and hexagonal 
columns of basaltes, a deep grayish blue-coloured 
stone, harder than marble : the pillars are chiefly in 
the form of a pentagon, so closely situated on their 
sides, though perfectly distinct from top to bottom, 
that scarcely anything can be introduced between 
them. The columns are of an unequal height and 
breadth ; some of the highest visible above the sur- 
face of the strand and at the foot of the precipice, 
are about twenty feet ; none of the principal arrange- 
ment exceeds this height ; how deep they are under 
the surface has not yet been ascertained. 

3. This causeway extends nearly two hundred 
yards, visible at low water ; how far beyond is un- 
certain ; from its declining appearance, however, to- 
wards the sea, it is probable it does not extend under 
water to a distance anything equal to what is seen 
above. The breadth of the causeway, which runs 
out into one continued range of columns, is, in gen- 
eral, from twenty to thirty feet; at one place or 
two, it may be nearly forty feet for a few yards. The 
highest part of this causeway is the narrowest, at 
the foot of the impending cliff whence the whole 
projects, where, for four or five yards, it is from ten 
to fifteen feet. 

4. The columns of this narrow part incline from 
a perpendicular a little to the westward, and form a 
slope on their tops, by the very unequal height of 
the columns on the two sides, by which an ascent is 
made at the foot of the cliff from the head of one 
column to the next above, to the top of the cause- 
way, which, at the distance of half a dozen yards 
from this, assumes a perpendicular position, and low- 



READING LESSONS. 293 

ering in its general height, widens to from twenty 
to thirty feet, and for one hundred yards nearly, is 
always above water. The tops of the columns for 
this length being nearly of an equal height, they 
form a grand and singular parade, that may be easily 
walked on, rather inclining to the water's edge. But 
from high water-mark, by the continued surges on 
every return of the tide, the platform lowers consid- 
erably, and becomes more and more uneven, so as 
not to be walked on but with the greatest care. At 
the distance of a hundred and fifty yards from the 
cliff, it turns a little to the east for twenty or thirty 
yards, and then sinks into the sea. 

5. The form of these columns is mostly pentag- 
onal ; some few are of three, four, and six sides : 
what is very extraordinary, and particularly curious, 
is, that there are not two columns among ten thou- 
sand to be found, that either have their sides equal 
amongst themselves, or whose figures are alike. Nor 
is the composition of these columns or pillars less 
deserving the attention of the curious spectator. 
They are not of one solid stone in an upright posi- 
tion, but composed of several short lengths, curiously 
joined, not with flat surfaces, but articulated into 
each other like a ball and socket, the one end at the 
joint having a cavity, into which the convex end of 
the opposite is exactly fitted. The depth of the con- 
cavity is generally about three or four inches. What 
is still further remarkable of the joint, the convexity 
and correspondent concavity are not conformed to 
the external angular figure of the column, but ex- 
actly round, and as large as the diameter of the col- 
umn will admit, and consequently, as the angles of 
these columns are in general extremely unequal, the 
circular edges of the joint seldom coincide with more 

25* 



294: THIRD BOOK OF 

than two or three sides of the pentagonal, and from 
the edge of the circular part of the joint to the ex- 
terior sides and angles, they are quite plain. 

6. It is likewise very remarkable, that the articu- 
lations of these joints are frequently inverted ; in 
some the concavity is npwards, in others the reverse. 
The length, also, of these particular stones, from 
joint to joint, is various ; in general they are from 
eighteen to twenty-four inches long, and for the most 
part longer towards the bottom of the column than 
nearer the top, and the articulation of the joints 
something deeper. The size of the columns is as 
different as their length and form ; in general they 
are from fifteen to twenty inches in diameter. There 
is no trace of uniformity of design throughout the 
whole combination, except in the form of the joint 
and the general pentagonal shape. What is extra- 
ordinary and curious is, that notwithstanding the 
universal dissimilitude of the columns, both as to 
their figure and diameter, and though perfectly dis- 
tinct from top to bottom, yet is the whole so closely 
joined at all points, that there is scarcely room to 
introduce a knife between them, either on the sides 
or angles. 

7. The whole exhibition of this great plan of na- 
ture, so far superior to the little things done by man, 
is a confused regularity and disuniformity, display- 
ing too much diversity of plan to be all seen or com- 
prehended at once. A considerable way along the 
coast, the cliffs, rising in some parts from two to 
three hundred fathoms above the level of the sea, 
present similar appearances. At the point which 
bounds the bay on the east, and just above the nar- 
rowest part of the greatest causeway, a long collec- 



READING LESSONS. 295 

tion of pillars, called the needles, are seen, the tops 
of which, just appearing out of the sloping bank, 
plainly show them to be in an oblique position, and 
about half way between the perpendicular and hori- 
zontal. These seem to have been removed from a 
perpendicular to their present oblique position, by 
the sinking or falling of the cliff. 

Clarke. 



LESSON XI. 

REPTILES. 

Rep'tiles (-tils), n., creeping, crawling animals with four legs, as tor- 
toises, frogs, and lizards. F. reptiles, from reptare, L., to creep. 

Lungs, n., the organs of respiration or breathing, by means of which 
the breath is inhaled and exhaled ; the lights, so called, from their 
lightness. A.S. lungena, from langen, to draw, because the breath 
is drawn through them. 

Irritability, n., state or quality of being irritable, that is, capable 
of being agitated, pained, or fretted by any unaccustomed contact ; 
from I. and L., irrit-are, from erotho, G., I provoke. 

Mus'cular, a., relating to the action or power of the muscles — which 
are the fleshy, fibrous parts of an animal body, covered with a skin 
peculiar to themselves, and are the immediate instruments of mo- 
tion. F. musculaire. Mus, G., a muscle, is said to be derived from 
muein, to cover. 

Obtuse 1 , a., not acute ; faint, dull, blunt. F. obtuse ; L. obtusus, or 
obtundus, from obtundo, — ob, and tundo, I blunt. 

Leth'argy, n., state of sleepiness : sluggish forgetfulness or insensi- 
bility. L. lethargia; G-. lethargos, one who quickly forgets, — lethe, 
forgetfulness, and argos, swift. 

Ner'vous, a., relating to the nerves, — which are the organs of sensa- 
tion, passing from the brain to all parts of the body. Nervous is 
sometimes applied to what is vigorous or strong ; at others, to what 
is diseased or weak. L. nervosus, from nervus, a nerve, a string ; 
that which strings or strengthens. 

Cerebel'lum, n., the hinder part of the head ; of the brain. L. cere- 
belluia, from kapa, G., the head. 

Pul'monary, a., of or pertaining to the lungs. F. pulmonaire, from 
pulmo, L., the lungs. 

Lar'ynx (inks), n., a cartilage or gristle forming the protuberance in 
the front of the neck, vulgarly called Pomum Adami, Adam's ap- 
ple ; the windpipe or trachea. F. and L. larynx ; G. larygx, the 
gullet, the throat. 



296 THIRD BOOK OF 

For " Oxygen," see p. 283 ; "Fibres," p. 131 ; " Quadrupeds," p. 95 ; 
"Vital," p. 199; "Propensity," p. 13 ; and "Teguments," p. 35. 
For deriv. of " Mamrnifera," see " Mammalia," p. 227. 

1. Reptiles have the heart disposed in such a 
manner, as that, on each contraction, it sends into 
the lungs only a portion of the blood which it has 
received from the various parts of the body, and the 
rest of that fluid returns to the several parts, without 
having passed through the lungs, and undergone the 
action of respiration. 

2. From this it results, that the oxygen acts less 
on the blood than in the mamrnifera. If the quan- 
tity of respiration in the latter animals, in which the 
whole of the blood passes through the lungs, before 
returning to the parts, be expressed by unity, the 
quantity of respiration in the reptiles must be ex- 
pressed by a fraction of unity so much the smaller, 
as the portion of the blood sent to the lungs on each 
contraction of the heart is less. 

3. As respiration communicates to the blood its 
heat, and to the fibres their nervous irritability, so 
we find that reptiles have cold blood, and that their 
muscular power is less, upon the w T hole, than that of 
quadrupeds, and, consequently, than that of birds. 
Accordingly, they do not often perform any move- 
ments but those of creeping and of swimming ; and 
though many of them leap, and run fast enough, on 
some occasions, their general habits are lazy, their 
digestion exceedingly slow, their sensations obtuse, 
and in cold and temperate climates, they pass almost 
the entire winter in a state of lethargy. Their brain, 
proportionally smaller, is not so necessary to the ex- 
ercise of their animal and vital faculties, as it is in 
the first two classes of the animal kingdom. They 
continue to live and exhibit voluntary motions after 



BEADING LESSONS. 297 

having lost the brain, and even the head, by decapi- 
tation, and that for a very considerable time. The 
connexion with the nervous system is also much less 
necessary to the contraction of their fibres ; and their 
flesh, after having been separated from the rest of 
the body, preserves its irritability much longer than 
in the classes already named. Their heart will beat 
for several hours after it has been plucked out, and 
its loss does not hinder the body from moving for a 
long time. In many of them it has been observed, 
that the cerebellum is remarkably small, which per- 
fectly accords with their little propensity to motion. 
The smallness of the pulmonary vessels permits rep- 
tiles to suspend their respiration without arresting 
the course of the blood ; accordingly, they dive more 
easily, and for a longer time, than mammifera or 
birds : the cellules of their lungs are also much 
wider. Reptiles are provided with a trachea or 
larynx, though the faculty of an audible voice is not 
accorded to them all. Not possessing warm blood, 
they have no occasion for teguments capable of re- 
taining the heat, and they are covered with scales, 
or simply with a naked skin. 

Cuvier. 



LESSON XII. 

GTJADALOUPE. 

Map, n., a tablet, picture, or delineation of the world, or of any part 
of it, showing the relative situations of places on the earth. F. 
mappe, from mappa, L., a tablecloth, — whence the application of 
the term to a geographical delineation, on account of its resem- 
blance in size, texture, <fcc. 

ZZos'pital, w., a place for the reception and entertainment of strangers 
a place built for the reception of the sick or support of the poor. 
F. hopital ; L. kospitium, from hospes, a host, a guest. 



298 THIRD BOOK OF 

Friday, n., the sixth day of the week. A.S. Frigedceg, from Friga, 
the wife of the god Woden and mother of Thor, from whom Wed- 
nesday — Wodnesdceg — and Thursday — Thorsdazg, — are respective- 
ly named. Similarly, Saturday was named from Seater, the Saturn 
of the Saxons ; Sunday, from the Sun ; Monday, from the Moon ; 
and Tuesday, from Tuesco, a divinity worshipped in the north of 
Europe. 

Hoar'y, a,, white, whitish ; from the A.S, harian, to wax gray or 
hoary. 

Fortifioa'tions, n., places built for strength. F. fortifications. See 
" Fortified," p. 82. 

Bil'lows, n., swollen waves ; from the Gothic bulgia, to bulge out, 
to swell. 

Lar'board, n., the left hand side of the ship, when one stands with 
his face to the prow or head. Lar may be a contraction of laveer,— 
from laveren, I)., to go obliquely, to catch the wind ; — and that 
side is so called, because it laveers, or lies obliquely ; in reference 
to the opposite side, or starboard. 

Squalls, n. t howling, roaring gusts of wind : — a squall differs from 
a gale in the suddenness of its beginning, and the shortness of its 
continuance. Swed. squoela, from giellan (A.S.), to howl. 

Stern, n., that by which the ship is moved, guided, or steered. A.S. 
steam, that which is steren, or stirred. 

Consignee', n., the agent or commissioner ; from consigner, F., to give 
anything formally signed to another's custody ; or simply to com- 
mit, to entrust. See "Resignation," p. 100. 

1. This island is one of the most windward or 
eastern of the West India Islands ; and in that 
group, which, by the French, are styled the Antilles. 
This (Basseterre) is the seat of government ; its port, 
if it may be so called, is but an open road in the 
Caribbean Sea, the water of which is beautifully 
clear. We are, as you may observe by the map, a 
little lower than the sixteenth degree of latitude, on 
the south-western side of the island. The town is 
small; the number of the inhabitants is between five 
and six thousand : it contains a poor fort and good 
barracks, and an excellent hospital, served by Sisters 
of Charity. It is the residence of the governor of 
Guadaloupe and its dependencies ; that is, Guada- 
loupe and Grandeterre, which appear on our maps 
as one island ; Marie-Galante, Deseada, Petite-terre, 
and farther west, a small cluster round two^islands, 



READING LESSORS. 299 

called Saintes, St. Martin, and a few other specks, 
the entire population of which is upwards of 100,000, 
about half of whom are slaves, and nearly half the 
remainder free persons of colour, from jet to pale 
lemon tinge. 

2. On Friday morning we discovered the island 
to the west, as we had gone considerably to the east 
for the purpose of getting into the trade winds. 
The appearance of the island was very beautiful. 
Points-de-chateaux presented to us the appearance 
of four or five bold castles rising above the horizon, 
and stretching off to the east from the land of Grand- 
terre, which raised the dusky summit of its regular 
hills in a long line, till lost in the distance, and in 
the gray of twilight. Occasionally the hoary surf 
threw a mantle of white over the dark walls of these 
ancient fortifications. Half an hour, however, de- 
tected the illusion, and show r ed us the work of nature, 
and not of art, in the masses of rock, which opposed 
themselves as castles to the billows of the Atlantic. 
A strong current, of nearly half a mile wide, ran im- 
petuously between the outer and the inner masses. 
We now had the land at a mile distant. The coffee- 
trees, the sugar-cane, the cocoa, and occasionally the 
palm-tree, gave a beautiful verdure to a varied and 
broken country, richly studded with dwellings, and 
the hills topped by several windmills. 

3. The island of Marie-Galante now appeared, 
about from fifteen to twenty miles to the south, on 
our larboard. It is bold and lofty, and served to di- 
versify the scene ; whilst a fine brig, working up for 
Pointe-a-Pitre, gave life and animation to the whole. 
This was soon increased by half a dozen small sails 
of boats and little trading smacks, that run between 



300 .third book; of 

the islands. None of the hills of Grande-terre seemed 
to rise higher than the Giant's Stairs near Cork, but 
the scenery was nearly as rich as that on your right 
hand from Lough Mahon to that city. About ten 
o'clock the mountains of Guadaloupe showed darkly 
and boldly, mingled with mists, upon the western 
horizon : a few land squalls gave activity to our crew 
and motion to our ship ; the brig led the way ; the 
entrance towards the harbour of Pointe-a-Pitre began 
to open ; the tri-colour was hoisted at the stern of 
each ship ; her consignee's signal was now substitu- 
ted for the pilot-flag, which came down from the 
foremast, as the boat which contained this important 
being was seen to approach. 

Dr. England. 



<*/wwt/* 



LESSON XIII. 

jephte's daughter. 

1. The tears upon her cheek were dried, 

Her song of mourning ceased to swell, 
And its last cadence gently died, 

In that dark word of grief — farewell ! 
The virgins took their last embrace, 

But on her calm and saintly brow, 
No earthly feeling left a trace, 

For all was sacred triumph now. 

2. Like some sweet flow'r, on whose pale bloom 

The shadowy rain-drops lightly fade, 
"When trembling from the tempest's gloom, 
It smiles, in summer pride array'd. 



READING LESSONS. 301 

'Twas thus the victim, on whose head 
The garland shone — each grief beguiled, 

As brighter hopes their glory shed — 
In her pale beauty sweetly smiled. 

3. She kiss'd her father's hand, which shook 

With pain above her bosom's swell, 
She fix'd above her steadfast look, 

And, like the wounded dove, she fell. 
'Twere vain to tell the joy disclosed 

In her dark eye — the triumph sweet, 
Ere yet the trembling lid had closed, 

And her young heart had ceased to beat. 

4. Then rose a wild and deep lament 

From those who clasp'd her hand in death ; 
But he who madly o'er her bent, 

Could he lament, could he forget ? 
They wail'd by Galilee's dark strand, 

O'er Sion's hill and Jordan's water, 
And many a year through Judah's land 

They mourn'd the fate of Jephte's daughter. 

M. S. 



OCCUPATIONS OF BEES. 

So work the honey bees ; 

Creatures, that, by rule in nature, teach 
The art of order to a peopled kingdom. 
They have a king, and officers of sorts, 
Where some, like magistrates, correct at home ; 
Others, like merchants, venture trade abroad, 
Others, like soldiers, armed in their stings, 
Make boot upon the summer's velvet buds ; 
Which pillage they, with merry march, bring home 
To the tent-royal of their emperor : 

26 



302 THIRD BOOK OF 

Who, busied in his majesty, surveys 

The singing masons building roofs of gold : 

The civil citizens kneading up the honey ; 

The poor mechanic porters crowding in 

Their heavy burdens at his narrow gate ; 

The sad-eyed justice with his surly hum, 

Delivering o'er to executors pale 

The lazy, yawning drone. Shakspeare. 



LESSON XIV. 

ON THE FIGURE OF THE EARTH. 

Principle, n., a first or elementary being, power, agent, or active 

cause. L. principium. See " Principal" p. 1 8. 
Accliv'ity, n., that which slopes upwards, — opposed to declivity, that 

which slopes downwards, L. acclivitas, from acclivis, — ad, and 

clivus, a cliff, a slope. 
Lu'nar, a., relating to the moon. F. lunaire ; L. lunaris, from luna, 

the moon. 
E'clipse, n., an obscuration or darkening of any luminary, — as the 

sun, the moon, by the intervention of another orb, as the earth. 

F. eclipse : G. ekleipsis, a failing (of light) ; from leipo, I fail, I 

leave. 
Longitude (long'-je-), n., distance or length between one place and 

another, either towards the east or west. F. longitude, from lon- 

gus, L., long. 
Plane, n., a level, open, flat surface. F. plain ; L. planus, from plax, 

G., anything smooth or even. 
Ratio (ra'-sbe-o), n., the mutual relation of magnitudes of the same 

kind with respect to quantity. L. ratio, a rule, the terms pro- 
posed. See " Rational," p. 44. 
Hlr'esy, n., an opinion taken in opposition to the truth as taught by 

the Church ; and he is styled a heretic who obstinately adheres to 

such opinion. F. heresie ; G. hairesis, a rooted or obstinate opin- 
ion, from hairein, to take, to lay hold on. 
Antip'odes, n., those people who, living on the other side of the 

earth, have the soles of their feet directly opposite to ours. F. L. 

and G. antipodes, from (G.) anti, opposed to, and pous, — podos, a 

foot. 
Astronom'ical, a., of or belonging to astronomy. L. astronomicus. 

See "Astronomer," p. 158. 
For "Cylinder," see p. 241; " Globular," p. 155; " Hull," p. 241 ; 

" Polar," p. 157 ; " Hypothesis," p. 217 ; and " Altitude," p. 272. 



READING LESSONS. 30 



<-> 



1. The reasons which are now adduced in proof of 
the spherical figure of the earth, are so simple, and 
the principles on which they are based, so evident, 
that it is astonishing how the ancients could remain 
so long ignorant of this fact The opinions of those 
among them who imagined it to be cylindrical, or in 
the form of a drum, approached nearest to the truth ; 
but the general notion was, that the earth was a vast 
extended plain, bounded by the ocean. This, per- 
haps, is the idea which every common observer 
would form. The more attentive inquirer will, how- 
ever, easily perceive the visible effects of the globu- 
lar form of the earth from the following appearances. 
A person on shore can see the masts and rigging of 
a vessel at sea, when the hull is entirely concealed 
by the convexity of the water. As the vessel ap- 
proaches the place of observation, she seems as if 
ascending a gentle acclivity, and the contrary appear- 
ance takes place as she recedes from the shore. The 
phenomena will be precisely the same to a person on 
board, with regard to the objects on land ; and this 
occurring in every part of the world, no matter what 
may be the bearing of the objects, or the course of 
the vessel, it obviously follows, that the figure of the 
earth must be that of a sphere or globe, as these ob- 
servations cannot be reconciled with any other form 
whatever. 

2. The shadow of the earth on the moon, as seen 
at the lunar eclipses, being always, and under all 
circumstances, circular, strengthens this opinion. Bat 
the voyages of those who have actually sailed round 
the earth, are experimental proofs of its spherical 
form from east to west ; and that it is so from north 
to south, is manifest from observations made on the 
polar star, which increases in altitude as we approach 



804 THIRD BOOK OF 

the pole, while all the stars in the southern hemi- 
sphere diminish in altitude. On the other hand, as 
we approach the equator, the polar star, and all the 
stars of the northern hemisphere, decrease in altitude, 
whilst those of the southern hemisphere are seen to 
increase ; appearances which could not possibly take 
place, had the earth been a plane or a cylinder. We 
may also add, that the change in the degrees of lon- 
gitude in different latitudes, and the fact, that eclipses 
of the moon are seen sooner by those who live east- 
ward, than by those who live westward, in the ratio 
of one hour to fifteen degrees of longitude, are addi- 
tional proofs of the earth's spherical form. 

3. Nor can any objection, arising from the ine- 
qualities on the earth's surface, invalidate this hy- 
pothesis ; as it may be easily shown by a simple 
proportion, that the highest mountains on the earth 
would not, on one of our largest globes, be the hun- 
dredth part of an inch in elevation ; and as this 
would not be discernible on an artificial globe, so 
neither ought the greatest inequalities on the earth 
prevent us from considering it spherical. It is not 
true, as stated by certain authors, that some of the 
Fathers of the Church went so far as to pronounce it 
heresy to believe there were such people as the an- 
tipodes. This calumny was founded on the fact, that 
the Church did condemn certain heretics, who, from 
vague notions of the form of the earth, confounded 
the antipodes with a pretended race of human be- 
ings, who, they said, were not descended from Adam, 
nor redeemed by Christ. 

4. So many united proofs, as well as the accuracy 
of so many astronomical observations, all of which 
have been made and calculated upon the supposition 



READING LESSONS. 305 

of the sphericity of our earth, leave no room for rea- 
sonable doubts upon the subject. In vain does igno- 
rance demand of us, how the earth can remain sus- 
pended in the air without any support. Let us look 
upon the heavens, and observe how many other globes 
roll in space, and lay aside all uneasiness concerning 
the " antipodes." There is upon the globe neither 
high nor low ; the antipodes see, in like manner as 
we do, the earth under their feet, and the sky above 
their heads. 

C. B. 



LESSON XY. 



INSECTS. 






Exsanguious (-sang'-gwe-), a., without blood, bloodless. L. exsanguis, 
— ex, and sanguis, blood. 

In'stinct, n., that which stimulates or incites : a natural impulse to 
certain actions which the animal performs without deliberation, 
without having any end in view, and frequently without knowing 
what it does. F. instinct, from instinguere, — in, and stingere, from 
stizein, G., to goad, to spur. 

See/pent, n., an amphibious animal which moves by undulation, be- 
ing of that class which have neither legs, wings, nor fins. F. ser- 
pent ; L. serpens, from serpo, — G. herpo, — I creep or crawl. 

Worm (or Vermis), n., the name of a class of insects which have soft 
and fleshy bodies, and are slow of motion. D. worm ; from vermis, 
L., this from herpo, G., I creep. 

Cat'erpillar, n., a worm which feeds on herbs and fruits, of which 
it is very destructive : — when hatched from the egg, it is called a 
grub or larva ; its next change is to the pupa or chrysalis state, 
from which it emerges to the fly state, and is then called a but- 
terfly. 

What is a butterfly 1— at best 
He's but a caterpillar drest. 

(The word is of doubtful origin.) 

Ant, n., an insect, sometimes called an emmet, from A.S. cemett. Ger. 
ameis (ameisse), a, not, and meisse, idleness ; so called because 
never idle. 

Bee, n., the insect that makes honey ; it has four wings, and is armed 
with a sting. Bees are so named because they live under one gov- 
ernment, and build their dwelling with great skill and industry. 
A.S. beo ; Ger. bien, from byan, A.S., to dwell, to build a dwelling. 

26* 



306 THIRD BOOK OF 

Hound, n., a dog used in the chase. A.S. hund, from hentian, to pur- 
sue, to search after. 

Anat'omy, n., the doctrine of the structure of animal bodies (in this 
place) : also, the art of dissecting the bodies of animals. L. and G. 
anatome, from (GL) ana, through, and temnein, to cut. 

Brute, n., a savage animal ; a beast, that is, an animal distinguished 
from birds, insects, and fishes: from brutus, L., of doubtful origin. 

For " Organs," see p. 227; "Lungs," p. 295; "Sagacity," p. 198; 
"Unctuous," p, 142; " Naturalist," p. 22; and for derivation of 
" Inimitable," see " Imitate," p. 69 ; of " Perceptible," see " Percep- 
tion," p. 67 ; of " Compulsion," see " Impulse," p. 223. 

1. Insects are, in natural history, a smaller sort of 
animals, commonly supposed to be exsanguious, and 
distinguished by certain incisures, cuttings, or indent- 
ings, in their bodies. The word is originally Latin, 
formed of m, and seco, " I cut ;" the reason of which 
is, that in some of this tribe, as ants, the body seems 
to be cut or divided into two ; or because the bodies 
of many, as worms, caterpillars, &c, are composed of 
divers circles, or rings, which are a sort of incisurce. 

2. By some natural historians, this class of animals 
is considered as the most imperfect of any, while 
others prefer them to the larger animals. One mark 
of their imperfection is said to be, that many of them 
can live a long time, though deprived of those organs 
which are necessary to life in the higher ranks of na- 
ture. Many of them are furnished with lungs and 
a heart, like the nobler animals ; yet the caterpillar 
continues to live, though its heart and lungs are en- 
tirely eaten away, which is often the case. It is not, 
however, from their conformation alone that insects 
are inferior to other animals, but from their instincts 
also. It is true, that the ant and the bee present us 
with striking instances of assiduity ; yet, even these 
are inferior to the marks of sagacity displayed by the 
larger animals. A bee taken from the swarm is to- 
tally helpless and inactive, incapable of giving the 
smallest variation to its instincts. It has but one 






READING LESSONS. 307 



single method of operating ; and if put from that, it 
can turn to no other. In the pursuits of the hound, 
there is something like choice ; but in the labours of 
the bee, the whole appears like necessity and com- 
pulsion. All other animals are capable of some de- 
gree of education ; their instincts may be suppressed 
or altered ; the dog may be taught to fetch and carry, 
the bird to whistle a tune, and the serpent to dance ; 
but the insect has only one invariable method of op- 
erating ; no art can turn it from its instincts ; and 
indeed its life is too short for instruction, as a single 
season often terminates its existence. 

3. Of all productions in nature, insects are by far 
the most numerous. The vegetables which cover the 
surface of the earth bear no proportion to the multi- 
tudes of insects; and though, at first sight, herbs of 
the field seem to be the parts of organised nature 
produced in the greatest abundance ; yet, upon more 
minute inspection, we find every plant supporting a 
mixture of scarcely perceptible creatures, that fill up 
the compass of youth, vigour, and age, in the space 
of a few days' existence. In Lapland, and some parts 
of America, the insects are so numerous, that if a 
candle is lighted, they swarm about in such multi- 
tudes, that it is instantly extinguished by them ; and, 
in these parts of the world, the miserable inhabitants 
are forced to smear their bodies and faces with tar, 
or some other unctuous composition, to protect them 
from the stings of their minute enemies. 

4. On the other hand, Swammerdam, a celebrated 
naturalist, argues for the perfection of insects in the 
following manner : " After an attentive examination 
of the nature and anatomy of the smallest as well as 
the largest animals, I cannot help allowing the least 



308 THIRD BOOK OF 

an equal, or perhaps a superior degree of dignity. 
If, while we dissect with care the larger animals, we 
are filled with wonder at the elegant disposition of 
their parts, to what a height is our astonishment 
raised, when we discover all these parts arranged in 
the least, in the same regular manner ! Notwith- 
standing the smallness of ants, nothing hinders our 
preferring them to the largest animals, if we consider 
either their unwearied diligence, their wonderful 
strength, or their inimitable propensity to labour. 
Their amazing love for their young is still more un- 
paralleled among the larger classes. They not only 
daily carry them to such places as may afford them 
food ; but if by accident they are killed, and were 
cut into pieces, they will with the utmost tenderness 
carry them away piecemeal in their arms. Who 
can show such an example among the larger animals, 
w T hich are dignified with the title of perfect ? Who 
can find an instance in any other portion of the brute 
creation that can come in competition with this ?" 

Encyclopedia Britannica. 



LESSON XVI 



THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. 

Language (lang'-), n., that which the tongue utters or speaks ; speech, 

oral or written. F. langage, from lingua, L., a tongue, from lingo, 

I lick. 
Primitive, a., early, original. F. primitif, from primus, L., first. 
For'eign, a., out or far away from ; alien. F.forain, from fords, L., 

forth, out of doors. 
Or'igin, n., rise, source, derivation, or descent. F. and I. origine, from 

orior, L., I rise, I spring. 
Intermix', v., to mingle or blend one with another. L. intermisceo, — 

inter, and misceo, I mix, mingle, or blend. 
Di'alect, n., the subdivision of a language : the term is also applied 



READING LESSONS. 309 

to a peculiar style of expression. F. dialecte ; G. dialektos, from 
dia, through, or thoroughly, and lego, I speak. 

Contest'ed, a., controverted, disputed. F. contests, from contester, to 
"witness together, or to produce witnesses on each side, — or simply 
to dispute, to debate. L. testis, a witness. 

Affin'ity, n., connexion, similarity. F. offinite, L., affinitas, alliance, 
relationship : — -finis, limit, border, country. 

Diffu'sion, 7i., the state of being scattered every way ; dispersion. 
F. diffusion, from (L.) diffundo, — dis, and fundo, — fusum, — I pour, 
I spread abroad, disperse. 

Literature, n., learning. F. litterature. See "Illiterate," p. 269. 

For "Basis," see p. 234; "Obliterated," p. 32; "Invade," p. 50; 
" Copious," p. 230 ; — and for deriv. of " Imported," see " Exporta- 
tion," p. 18 ; and of " Revolutions," see " Revolve," p. 199. 

1. The language which is at present spoken 
throughout Great Britain, is neither the ancient 
primitive speech of the island, nor derived from it ; 
but is altogether of foreign origin. The language of 
the first inhabitants of this island, beyond doubt, was 
the Celtic, or Gaelic, common to them with Gaul ; 
from which country, it appears, by many circum- 
stances, that Great Britain was peopled. This Celtic 
tongue, which is said to be very expressive and co- 
pious, and is, probably, one of the most ancient lan- 
guages in the world, prevailed once in most of the 
western regions of Europe. It was the language of 
Gaul, of Great Britain, of Ireland, and, very prob- 
ably, of Spain also ; till, in the course of those revo- 
lutions, which, by means of the conquests, first of 
the Romans, and afterwards of the t northern nations, 
changed the government, speech, and, in a manner, 
the whole face of Europe, this language was gradually 
obliterated, and now subsists only in the mountains 
of Wales, in the Highlands of Scotland, and in Ire- 
land ; for the Welsh, the Erse, and the Irish, are no 
other than different dialects of the same tongue, the 
ancient Celtic. 

2. This, then, was the language of the primitive 
Britons, the first inhabitants, that we know of, in our 



310 THIKD BOOK OF 

island ; and continued so till the arrival of the Sax- 
ons in England, in the year of our Lord 450 : they, 
having conquered the Britons, did not intermix with 
them, but expelled them from their habitations, and 
drove them, together with their language, into the 
mountains of Wales. The Saxons were one of those 
northern nations that over-ran Europe ; and their 
tongue, a dialect of the Gothic, or Teutonic, alto- 
gether distinct from the Celtic, laid the foundation 
of the present English tongue. With some inter- 
mixture of Danish (a language, probably, from the 
same root with the Saxon), it continued to be spoken 
throughout the southern part of the island, till the 
time of William the Conqueror. He introduced his 
Norman, or French, as the language of the court, 
which made a considerable change in the speech of 
the nation ; and the English, which was spoken 
afterwards, and continues to be spoken now, is a 
mixture of the ancient Saxon and this Norman 
French, together with such new and foreign words 
as commerce and learning have, in progress of time, 
gradually introduced. 

3. The history of the English language can, in this 
manner, be clearly traced. The language spoken in 
the low countries of Scotland, is now, and has been 
for many centuries, no other than a dialect of the 
English. How, indeed, or by what steps, the an- 
cient Celtic tongue came to be banished from the 
low country in Scotland, and to make its retreat into 
the highlands and islands, cannot be so well pointed 
out, as how the like revolution was brought about in 
England. Whether the southern part of Scotland 
was once subject to the Saxons, and formed a part of 
the kingdom of Northumberland ; or, whether the 
great number of English exiles that retreated into 



READING LESSONS. 311 

Scotland, upon the Norman conquest, and upon 
other occasions, introduced into that country their 
own language, which afterwards, by the mutual in- 
tercourse of the two nations, prevailed over the 
Celtic, are uncertain and contested points. 

4. From what has been said, it appears that the 
Teutonic dialect is the basis of our present speech. 
It* has been imported among us in three different 
forms, the Saxon, the Danish, and the Norman ; all 
which have mingled together in our language. A 
very great number of our words, too, are plainly 
derived from the Latin. These we had not directly 
from the Latin, but most of them, it is probable, en- 
tered into our tongue through the channel of that 
Norman French, which William the Conqueror in- 
troduced. For, as the Romans had long been in 
possession of Gaul, the language spoken in that 
country, when it was invaded by the Franks and 
Normans, was a sort of corrupted Latin, mingled 
with Celtic, to which was given the name of Ro- 
mance ; and as the Franks and Normans did not, 
like the Saxons in England, expel the inhabitants, 
but, after their victories, mingled with them ; the 
language became a compound of the Teutonic dialect 
imported by these conqueiws, and of the former cor- 
rupted Latin. Hence, the French language has al- 
ways continued to have a very considerable affinity 
with the Latin ; and hence, a great number of words 
of Latin origin, which were in use among the Nor- 
mans in France, were introduced into our tongue at 
the conquest; to which, indeed, many have since 
been added directly from the Latin, in consequence 
of the great diffusion of Roman literature throughout 
all Europe. 

Blair. 



312 THIRD BOOK OF 



LESSON XVII, 



THE GREEN EIVEE 



When breezes are soft and skies are fair, 

I steal an hour from study and care, 

And hie me away to the woodland scene, 

Where wanders the stream with waters of green, 

As if the bright fringe of herbs on its brink 

Had given their stain to the wave they drink : 

And they whose meadows it murmurs through 

Have named the stream from its own fair hue. 

Yet pure its waters, its shallows are bright, 

With coloured pebbles and sparkles of light ; 

And clear the depths where the eddies play, 

And dimples deepen and whirl away ; 

And the plane-tree's speckled arms o'ershoot 

The swifter current that mines its root ; 

Through whose shifting leaves, as you walk the hill, 

The quivering glimmer of sun and rill 

With a sudden flash on the eye is thrown, 

Like the ray that streams from the diamond stone. 

Oh ! loveliest there the spring days come, 

With blossoms and birds and wild bees' hum ; 

The flowers of summer are fairest there, 

And freshest the breeze of the summer air ; 

And the swimmer comes in the season of heat 

To bathe in those waters so pure and sweet. 

Yet fair as thou art, thou shunnest to glide, 

Beautiful stream ! by the village side ; 

But windest away from haunts of men, 

To silent valley and shaded glen. 

And forest and meadows and slope of hill 

Around thee, are lonely, lovely, and still. 



EEADING LESSONS. 313 

Lonely — save when by thy rippling tides, 

From thicket to thicket the angler glides ; 

Or the simpler comes with basket and book, 

For herbs of power on thy banks to look : 

Or haply some idle dreamer like me, 

To wander, and muse, and gaze on thee. 

Still — save the chirp of birds that feed 

On the river-cherry and seedy reed : 

And thy own wild music gushing out 

"With mellow murmur or fairy shout, 

From dawn to the blush of another day, 

Like traveller singing along his way. 

That fairy music I never hear, 

Nor gaze on those waters so green and clear, 

And mark them winding away from sight, 

Darken'd with shade or flashing with light, 

While o'er thee the vine to its thicket clings, 

And the zephyr stoops to freshen his wings ; — 

Bat I wish that fate had left me free 

To wander these quiet haunts with thee, 

Till the eating cares of earth should depart, 

And the peace of the scene pass into my heart. 

And I envy thy stream as it glides along 

Through its beautiful banks in a trance of song. 

Though forced to drudge for the dregs of men, 

And scrawl strange words with the barbarous pen, 

And mingling among the jostling crowd, 

Where the sons of strife are subtle and loud ; 

I sometimes come to this quiet place, 

To breathe the air that ruffles thy face, 

And gaze upon thee in silent dream ; 

For, in thy lonely and lovely stream, 

An image of that calm life appears, 

That won my heart in my greener years. 

Bryant. 
27 



814 THIED BOOK OF 



MERCY. 



The quality of mercy is not strain'd ; 

It droppeth, as the gentle rain from heaven, 

Upon the place beneath : it is twice bless'd ; 

It blesseth him that gives and him that takes ; 

? Tis mightiest in the mightiest ; it becomes 

The throned monarch better than his crown : 

His sceptre shows the force of temporal pow'r, 

The attribute to awe and majesty, 

Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings ; 

But mercy is above this sceptred sway ; 

It is enthroned in the hearts of kings ; 

It is an attribute to God himself; 

An earthly pow'r doth then show likest God's, 

When mercy seasons justice. 

Shakspeare. 






LESSON XVIII. 

NORWEGIAN WINTER. 

Exaggerated (egz-adje'-), a., heightened, aggravated. F. exagere, 
from exaggero, L., I heap up, I increase. Agger, a heap, is said to 
be from ad, and gero, I carry. 

Thermom'eter, n., an instrument for measuring the degrees of heat 
of the air or of any matter. F. thermometre, from (G-.) thermos, 
heat, warmth, and metron, a measure. 

Ze'ro, n., the cipher of the weather-glass. Zero, F. and I. — a nought. 

Foot'gear, n., covering for the feet. A.S. fot, from fettian, to bear ; 
and gear, from gearwe, A.S., anything prepared or provided, as 
dress, furniture, cfec, from gearwian, to prepare. 

Sledge, or Sled, n., a carriage that slides, that moves or is drawn 
without wheels. D. sledde, from slidan, A.S., to slide. 

El'ements, n., the air, winds, or weather : fire, air, the earth, and 
water, are called the four elements of which our world is com- 
posed. F. elements, from elementum, L., of unsettled etymology. 

Chequer (tshek r -), v., to diversify, to form into parts or divisions of 
different colours, like those of a chess-board. Chess — an intricate 
game in imitation of a battle between two armies, named in India 



READING LESSONS. 315 

Chatur-anga, the four angas, or members of an army — has given 
birth to the words check and chequer. The court of Chequer, or 
Exchequer, was so styled from a chequered cloth resembling a 
chess board, which covered the table on which the king's accounts 
were made up, and scored or marked against his debtors when ex- 
amined ; and hence the term to check or examine an account. 

Gnarled (nar'led), a., knotty : — the term is applied to the knots of 
the oak from their greater crash or creak in breaking ; from gnyr- 
ran, A.S., to creak. 

Fantas'tic, «., capricious, whimsical. F. fantastique, from L. and G-. 
phantasia, a vision, and this from (G-.) phantazo, I show. 

Borea'lis, n., the aurora-borealis, or northern light. L. borealis, (a.) 
northern, from boreas, the north wind. 

In England we are apt to form very exaggerated 
notions of the degree of cold which is experienced 
in the northern countries. When there is little or no 
wind, intense cold is scarcely felt to be an inconve- 
nience, provided one be suitably clothed ; and during 
by far the greater part of winter, the weather is calm, 
so that, even when the thermometer stands consider- 
ably below zero, one is able to move about comforta- 
bly, and even to enjoy the fine weather, which so 
generally attends intense frost. Many an English- 
man, who walks abroad on a raw winter's day, dress- 
ed nearly in the same manner as in summer, suffers 
infinitely more from cold, than he would in Norway, 
attired in his fur-cloak and eared cap, and warm foot- 
gear. For my own part, I can safely aver this for 
myself. I have suffered ten times the degree of cold 
travelling on a stage-coach in England, in the face 
of a north-east wind, than I ever suffered in a sledge 
in Norway, when the thermometer has been forty- 
seven degrees below the freezing point, or fifteen de- 
grees below zero. Sometimes, indeed, the frost is 
accompanied by a wind, and then it is scarcely pos- 
sible to stir out of doors ; but, in the southern parts 
of Norway, the combination of a very intense frost 
and a severe wind, is scarcely ever felt. It is true 
also, that in the depth of winter, the shortness of the 



316 THIRD BOOK OF 

days does not allow many hours of clear bright sun- 
shine ; but then, the houses are not built like sum- 
mer-houses, as many are in England ; and stoves in 
the towns, and great wood-fires in the country, and 
sometimes both, effectually oppose the power of the 
elements. There is not, in fact, a more comfortable 
abode, than that of a substantial land-owner, or a 
thriving merchant, on a winter's day in Norway. 
There are no cross-airs blowing through the house, 
as in many of the unsubstantial dwellings in England ; 
nor does one know what it is to have one part of his 
body scorched with the fire, while the other is suffer- 
ing under the influence of cold. But independently 
of the in-door winter comforts of Scandinavia, the 
appearance of the external world, by day and by 
night, is beautiful and wondrous. Enter a forest 
when the sun breaks from the mists of the morning 
upon the snows of the past night. Beautiful as a 
forest is in spring, when the trees unfold their virgin 
blossoms ; beautiful as in summer, when the wander- 
ing sunbeams, falling through the foliage, chequer 
the mossy carpet beneath ; beautiful as in autumn, 
w T hen the painted leaves hang frail ; it is more beau- 
tiful still, when the tall pines and gnarled oaks stand 
in the deep stillness of a winter's noon, their long 
arms and fantastic branches heaped with the feathery 
burden, that has never " caught one stain of earth." 
Then, too, the gray rocks, picturesque even in their 
nakedness, assume a thousand forms more curious 
still, dashed with the recent offering. And, when 
night comes — and who ever saw the glories of a 
night, save in a northern clime? — out burst the stars, 
countless and burning, studding the deep blue sky. 
Perhaps the Borealis, with its pale yellow light, 
Btreams over half a hemisphere ; or, perhaps, the 



READING LESSONS. 317 

winter moon, full and high, looks down from the 
brow of night, spangling with ten million stars the 
beauteous network thrown over the low world. Some- 
thing approaching to the appearance presented by a 
northern clime in summer may be witnessed in other 
countries, but the splendours of a winter scene belong 
only to the higher latitudes. 

Lstglis. 



A COMPARISON. 

The lapse of time and rivers is the same ; 

Both speed their journey with a restless stream : 

The silent pace w^ith which they steal away, 

No wealth can bribe, no pray'rs persuade to stay : 

Alike irrevocable both when past, 

And a wide ocean swallows both at last. 

Though each resembles each, in ev'ry part, 

A difTrence strikes, at length, the musing heart : 

Streams never flow in vain ; — where streams abound, 

How laughs the land, with various plenty crown'd ! 

But time, that should enrich the nobler mind, 

Neglected, leaves a dreary waste behind. 

Cowper. 



LESSON XIX. 

THE RUINS OF HERCULANEUM. 

Vesu'vius, n., a mountain near Naples, which, by an eruption, over- 
whelmed Herculaneum and Pompeii, A.D. (Anno Domini) 79. 
Pliny the Elder, endeavouring to ascertain the cause of its burning, 
perished in the attempt. Vesuvius is in Campania, a division of 
Italia Propria. 

Bitu'minous, a., having the nature of bitumen. L. bitumineus, from 
bitumen, a slimy, unctuous matter, dug out of the earth, and often 
used as a cement or mortar. 

27* 



318 THIRD BOOK OF 

Pon'derous, a., weighty, massive. L. ponderosus, from pondus, a 

weight, and this from pendo, I weigh. 
Op'ulence, n., affluence, riches. F. opulence ; from opes, L., wealth. 
Sur'oical, a., belonging to surgery. F. chirurgical. See p. 55. 
Tri'pod, n., a three-footed table or stool. G. tripous, — treis, three, 

and pous, a foot. 
Man'uscript, n. t anything written with the hand. L. manuscriptum, 

from inanus, the hand, and scribo, I write. 
San'guine (-gwin), a., possessing blood ; — figuratively — as in this 

place — confident, ardent. F. sanguin, from sanguis, L., blood. 
Deciphering, n., the act of discovering or making out the meaning. 

F. dechiffrement, sl deciphering. The verb is said to be from the 

Heb. 
Mosa'ic, n., a kind of painting in pebbles, small squares of thick glass, 

and shells of various colours. F. mosaique ; I. mosaico. Mousa, 

and mousikon (G.) were usually applied to express elegance, neat- 
ness, — and, elegantly and neatly performed. 
For "Volcano," see p. 278 ; "Mineral," p. 67 ; " Vitrified," p. 142; 

"Skeleton," p. 283 ; and "Catastrophe," p. 97. 

1. An inexhaustible mine of curiosities exists in 
the ruins of Herculaneum, a city lying between Na- 
ples and Mount Vesuvius, which, in the first years 
of the reign of Titus, was overwhelmed by a stream 
of lava from the neighbouring volcano. This lava is 
now of a consistency which renders it extremely dif- 
ficult to be removed ; being composed of bituminous 
particles, mixed with cinders, minerals, and vitrified 
substances, which altogether form a close and pon- 
derous mass. 

2. In the revolution of many ages, the spot it stood 
upon was entirely forgotten ; but in the year 1713 it 
was accidentally discovered by some labourers, who, 
in digging a well, struck upon a statue on the benches 
of a theatre. Several curiosities were dug out and 
sent to France, but the search was soon discontinued, 
and Herculaneum remained in obscurity till the year 
1736, when the king of Naples employed men to dig 
perpendicularly eighty feet deep ; whereupon, not 
only the city made its appearance, but also the bed 
of the river that ran through it. In the temple of 



READING LESSONS. 819 

Jupiter were found a statue of gold, and the inscrip- 
tion that decorated the great doors of the entrance. 
Many curious appendages of opulence and luxury 
have since been discovered in various parts of the 
city, and were arranged in a wing of the palace of 
Naples, among which are statues, busts, and altars ; 
domestic, musical, and surgical instruments ; tripods, 
mirrors of polished metal, silver kettles, and a lady's 
toilet, furnished with combs, thimbles, rings, ear- 
rings, &c. A large quantity of manuscripts was 
also found among the ruins ; and very sanguine 
hopes were entertained by the learned, that many 
works of the ancients would be restored to light, and 
that a new mine of science was on the point of being 
opened : but the difficulty of unrolling the burnt 
parchments, and of deciphering the obscure letters, 
has proved such an obstacle, that very little progress 
has been made in the work. The streets of Hercu- 
laneum seem to have been perfectly straight and 
regular ; the houses well built, and generally uni- 
form ; and the rooms paved either with large Roman 
bricks, mosaic work, or fine marble. It appears that 
the town was not filled up so unexpectedly with the 
melted lava, as to prevent the greatest part of the 
inhabitants from escaping with their richest effects'; 
for there were not more than a dozen of skeletons 
found, and but little gold or precious stones. 

3. The town of Pompeii was involved in the same 
dreadful catastrophe, but was not discovered till near 
forty years after the discovery of Herculaneum. Few 
skeletons were found in the streets of Pompeii ; but 
in the houses there were many, in situations which 
plainly proved that they were endeavouring to escape, 
when the tremendous showers of ashes intercepted 
their retreat. Kotzebue. 



820 THIRD BOOK OF 

LESSON XX. 

SOLAR SYSTEM. 

• 

Mag'nitude, n., comparative size or bulk. L. magnitude*, from mag- 
nus, L., great. 

Pe'riod, w., a cycle or circle, in reference to the revolution, or time 
of revolution, of one or more of the heavenly bodies. F. periode ; 
G. periodos, — peri, around, and hodos, sl path or way. 

Com'et, n., a star which appears suddenly, and as suddenly disap- 
pears, — so called from its hair-like tail. F. comete ; I. S. and L. 
corneta, from coma, L , the hair. 

Plan'et, n., one of the celestial bodies in our system, which moves 
round and receives light from the sun. Planets are so called, be- 
cause they change their places, and do not always keep the same 
distances with respect to one another, nor with the fixed stars, as 
the fixed stars do. F. planete ; S. and L. planeta, from planao, 
G., I stray or wander. 

Or'bit, n., the line described by the revolution of a planet ; the path 
of a heavenly body. F. orbite, from orbis, L., a sphere or circle. 

Tel'escope, n., an optical instrument to enable the eye to see objects 
afar off. F. telescope, from (G.) tele, distant, afar, and skopeo, I see, 
I view. 

Pha'ses, n., appearances of the planetary bodies, as the changes of 
the moon. G. phases, from phaino, I show, I appear. 

E'quinox, n., a period of the year, so called because then the night 
is equal to the day. F. equinoxe, from (L.) cequus, equal, and nox, 
the night. 

Ellip'ses, 7i., ovals : — an ellipsis, in geometry, is a figure generated 
from the section of a cone ; in grammar, the omission of one or 
more words in a sentence. G. elleipsis, from leipo, I leave out. 

Eccen'tric, a., out of the centre ; deviating or wandering from the 
• centre. F. eccentrique, from (G.) ex, and kentron, a centre, a point. 

For "Science," see p. 168; "Navigators," p. 30; "Solar," p. 122; 
" Axis," p. 155 ; " Transit," p. 158 ; and " Atmosphere," p. 25. 

1. The science which determines the magnitudes, 
motions, distances, periods, and order of the heaven- 
ly bodies, is called astronomy. It is so interesting 
and useful to mankind, that traces of it may be 
found in all the nations of the world. By its means, 
chronologists can compute the measure of time, navi- 
gators direct their course through the trackless ocean, 
and geographers become acquainted with the figure 
and magnitude of the earth. 



READING LESSONS. 321 

2. The solar system consists of the sun, thirteen 
primary planets, nineteen secondary planets, and an 
unknown number of comets. Of this system the 
sun is the centre. His diameter is computed to be 
882,000 miles, and.his revolution on his own axis is 
performed in abtfut 25 days. He is distant from 
the earth about 95 millions of miles, — a distance 
so great, that a cannon ball, which moves about 8 
miles in a minute, would be more than 22 years in 
going from one to the other. The planets called 
primary, revolve round the sun^ at unequal dis- 
tances, in elliptical orbits. Their names are, Mer- 
cury, Yenus, the Earth, Mars, Vesta, Juno, Ceres, 
Pallas, Astrea, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, or Herschel, 
and Neptune. Mercury and Venus are within the 
earth's orbit, and are therefore called inferior, or 
more properly, interior planets. The others being 
without the earth's orbit, are called superior or ex- 
terior planets. 

3. Mercury and Venus, when viewed through a 
telescoj^e, present phases like those of the moon. 
Mercury is 3,224 miles in diameter, and revolves 
round the sun in 87 days, at the distance of 37 mil- 
lions of miles from that body. Venus is computed 
to be 68 millions of miles distant from the sun : she 
completes her revolution in 224 days and 17 hours. 
Both these planets, when viewed through a tetescope, 
present phases like those of the moon. Mercury can 
never be seen except immediately after sunset, or a 
little before sunrise. Venus, as seen from the earth, 
is the most beautiful of ail the planets. "When she 
appears to the west of the sun, she rises before him, 
and is called the morning star ; when she appears to 
the east of the sun, she rises after he is set, and is 
then called the evening star. When* either of these 



322 THIRD BOOK OF 

planets comes directly between the earth and sun, it 
appears like a dark spot on the sun's disk, which ap- 
pearance is called a transit. Mars revolves round 
the sun in 686 days and 23 hours, at the mean dis- 
tance of 144 millions of miles from that body, and 
is distinguished by his red, fiery appearance. Vesta, 
Juno, Ceres, and Pallas are between Mars and Ju- 
piter. Ceres and Pallas are remarkable for their 
large, dense atmosphere : that of Ceres is greater in 
proportion to the solid mass, than that of any of the 
other planets. Jupiter appears to be the largest, 
and, next to Yenus, the most beautiful of the planets. 
His diameter is 89,170 miles, and his revolution is 
performed in 11 years, 314 days, and 10 hours. 
Saturn is more than 79,000 miles in diameter, and 
performs his revolution in about 30 of our years. 
His rings, when viewed through a telescope, present 
a very singular appearance. The outer one is 20,000 
miles in breadth, and 200,000 in diameter ; the inner 
one is more than 7,000 miles in breadth, and the 
space between both is nearly 3,000 miles. Uranus 
is 35,112 miles in diameter, and revolves round the 
sun in about 83 of our years, his distance from that 
body being about 1,813 millions of miles. His moons 
revolve from east to west; all the other planets, pri- 
mary and secondary, move in a contrary direction. 
Neptune is one of the largest of the planets — its di- 
ameter being 50,000 miles, and its bulk 250 times 
that of the earth. Its distance from the sun exceeds 
3,000 millions of miles, and it revolves round that 
orb in a period of 217 years. 

4. The secondary planets, or moons, are those 
which revolve round the primary ones. Of these the 
earth has one, Jupiter four, Saturn seven, and Uranus 
six. A satellite is supposed to attend Neptune, in 



READING LESSONS. 323 

which case the number of secondary planets would 
be nineteen. The time in which a planet performs 
its revolution round the sun, is called its year : and 
the time of its motion round its axis, its day. 

5. The earth, like the other planets, is spherical, 
but not an exact sphere. Its diameter is about 7,912 
miles, and its circumference nearly 25,000. It has 
an inclined position, its axis making w T ith a perpen- 
dicular to the plane of its orbit an angle of twenty- 
three degrees twenty-eight minutes (23° 28') ; and 
as it always points to the same direction of the 
heavens, the northern half of its axis is turned to- 
wards the sun during one half the year, and the 
southern half during the other. When, therefore, it 
is summer in the northern hemisphere, it is winter 
in the southern. At two periods of the year, the 
axis of the earth does not incline to the sun, nor de- 
cline from it. They are called equinoxes, that is, 
equal night ; the night, and consequently the day, 
being then equal in every part of the world. Both 
hemispheres at this period enjoy an equal degree of 
light and heat. 

6. The moon is 240,000 miles distant from the 
earth, and moves in its orbit round that planet at the 
rate of 38 miles per minute. It has three motions ; 
one round the earth in about twenty-nine days and 
a half; another round its own axis in the same space 
of time ; and a third round the sun with the earth 
in a year. 

1. Comets form part of the solar system, and ap- 
pear to be thin, filmy bodies, with long, transparent 
trains, issuing from that side which is turned away 
from the sun. They differ from all the planets in 
their figure, motion, and orbit, and move round the 



324: THIRD BOOK OF 

sun in very eccentric ellipses. They vary in size, 
and move in different directions. The train or tail 
sometimes extends to an immense distance, and is 
so transparent, that the fixed stars may be seen 
through it. 

8. The fixed stars are completely unconnected with 
the solar system, and are considered, by astronomers 
as so many suns, each the centre of a system like our 
own, communicating light and heat to revolving 
planets or worlds. C. B. 



LESSON XXI. 

THE HOUSE BUILDER. 

"Whatever thou purposest to do, 

With an unwearied zeal pursue ; 

To-day is thine — improve to-day, 

Nor trust to-morrow's distant ray. 

A certain man a house would build ; 

The place is with materials filPd ; 

And everything is ready there — 

Is it a difficult affair ? 

Yes ! till you fix the corner-stone ; 

It won't erect itself alone. 

Day rolls on day, and year on year, 

And nothing yet is done — - 

There's always something to delay 

The business to another day. 

And thus in silent waiting stood 

The piles of stone and piles of wood ; — 

Till Death, who in his vast affairs 

Ne'er puts things off — as men in theirs- 






READING LESSONS. 325 

And thus, if I the truth must tell, 
Does his work finally and well — 
"Wink'd at our hero as he past : 
Youv house is finished, sir, at last ; 
A narrow house — a house of clay — 
Tour palace for another day. * 

Khemnitzer. 



REMORSE. 
{From Filicaja.) 

Not the fierce tiger, breathing from his eyes 
Terror and wrath — nor, on a burning soil, 
The startled serpent springing from his coil, 

No — nor the bolt that cleaves the mountain's brow, 
Nor the impetuous torrent's rushing force, 
That leaps the bounds and rushes from its course, 

With deeper fear the shepherd's heart can bow, 
Or scare the shuddering flock more frightfully, 
Than conscience and its horrors harrow me ! 
No — nor the fury of hell's deep abyss 
Hath pow'r to inflict a sharper pang than this, 

"Which sears and withers up my bosom now. 



LESSON XXII. 

AFRICAN DESERTS. 

Pervade', v., to spread over. L. pervado, — per, and vado, I go, I 

spread. 
Granula'tions, n., pieces broken small, like grains. F. granulations. 

See " Granite," p. 223. 
Mart, n., a place of public traffic. Mart is a contraction of market, 

28 



326 THIRD BOOK OF 

'or, as formerly written, marcat, from (L.) mercatus, the trade of 
merchandize : L. merx, merchandize. 

Route, n., passage or line of travelling ; from route, F., a way, a road. 

Depreda'tions, n., robberies, spoliations. F. depredations, from prce- 
da, L., prey, booty. 

Intermediate, a., between, or coming between two points of time or 
space, — or both, as in this place. F. intermedial ; L. intermedins, 
in the middle, lying between, — inter, and medius, from mesos, G., 
middle. 

Dol'lar, n., a coin of different value in different countries. D. daler, 
from dal, a division, being the one-half of a ducat. The German 
name for dollar is thaler, from thai, a valley, because they were 
first coined in the valley of Joachim. 

Rendezvous, n., a place of assembling ; place of resort or of coming 
together. F. rendez-vous, to render or convey yourselves, — rendre, 
from (L.) reddo, — re, and do, — I restore or give back. 

Accumulated, a., congregated, or collected together. L. accumula- 
tes, from accumulo, — ad, and cumulo, I heap, I augment. 

Repose', n., rest. F. repos, from pono, L., I put, place, or lay, — that 
is, in a state of rest or quiet. 

For "Africa," see p. 219; "Explored," p. 244; "Caravan," p. 40; 
"Oasis," p. 220; "Lunar," p. 302; "Month," p. 263 ;— and for de- 
rivation of " Transport," see "Exportation," p. 18. 

1. The most striking feature of Africa consists of 
the immense deserts which pervade its surface, and 
which are supposed to comprise one-half of its whole 
extent. The chief of these is, by way of eminence, 
called Sahara, or the Desert. It stretches from the 
shores of the Atlantic, with few interruptions, to the 
confines of Egypt ; a space of more than forty-five 
degrees, or twenty-seven hundred geographical miles, 
by a breadth of twelve degrees, or seven hundred 
and twenty geographical miles. It is one prodigious 
expanse of red sand, and sand-stone rock, of the gran- 
ulations of which the red sand consists. It is, in 
truth, an empire of sand, which seems to defy every 
exertion of human power or industry, although it is 
interspersed with various islands, and fertile and cul- 
tivated spots of different sizes, of which Fezzan is the 
chief of those which have been hitherto explored. 

2. Nearly in the centre of this sandy ocean, and 
nearly mid-way between the Mediterranean Sea and 



READING LESSONS. 82«7 

the coast of Guinea, rise the walls of Timbuctoo, the 
capital of the very interesting empire of Bambarra, a 
city which constitutes the great mart for the commerce 
of the interior of Africa. To maintain this com- 
merce is the laborious work of the alckdbaars, or car- 
avans, which cross this enormous desert from almost 
every part of the African coast. The mode in which 
it is traversed is highly curious. 

3. The caravans consist of several hundred loaded 
camels, accompanied by the Arabs who let them out 
to the merchants for the transport of their goods. 
During their route, they are often exposed to the at- 
tacks of the roving Arabs of the Sahara, who gener- 
ally commit their depredations on the approach to 
the confines of the desert. In this tiresome journey, 
the caravans do not proceed to the place of their des- 
tination in a direct line across the trackless desert, 
but turn occasionally eastward or westward, accord- 
ing to the situation of certain fertile, inhabited, and 
cultivated spots, called oases , interspersed in various 
parts of the Sahara, like islands in the ocean. These 
serve as watering places to the men, as well as to 
feed, refresh, and replenish the hardy and patient 
camel. At each of these cultivated spots the cara- 
van sojourns about seven days, and then proceeds on 
its journey, until it reaches another spot of the same 
description. In the intermediate journeys, the hot 
winds, denominated shume or simoom, are often so 
violent, as considerably, if not entirely, to exhale the 
water carried in skins by the camels for the use of 
the passengers and drivers. On these occasions it is 
affirmed by the Arabs, that five hundred dollars have 
been frequently given for a draught of water, and 
that ten or twenty dollars are commonly paid, when 
a partial exhalation has occurred. 



328 THIRD BOOK OF 

4. In 1805, a caravan proceeding from Timbuctoo 
to Tafilet was disappointed in not finding water at 
one of the usual watering places, when, horrible to 
relate, the whole of the persons belonging to it, two 
thousand in number, besides one thousand eight hun- 
dred camels, perished of thirst ! Accidents of this 
nature account for the vast quantity of human and 
other bones which are found heaped together in va- 
rious parts of the desert. 

5. The following is the general route of the cara- 
vans in crossing the desert : — Having left the city of 
Fez, the capital of Morocco, they proceed at the rate 
of three miles and a half an hour, and travel seven 
hours each day. In the space of eighteen days they 
reach Akka, where they remain a month, as this is 
the place of rendezvous, at which they are formed 
into one grand, accumulated caravan. In proceed- 
ing from Akka to Tagassa sixteen days are employ- 
ed ; and here again the caravan sojourns fifteen days 
to refresh the camels. It then directs its course to 
the oasis or well of Tandeny, which is reached in 
seven days ; and after another stay of fifteen days, 
proceeds to Arawan, a watering place situated at a ; 
like distance. After having sojourned there fifteen! 
days, it sets out, and reaches Timbuctoo on the sixth 
day, after having performed a journey of fifty days 
of actual travelling, and seventy-five of repose ; mak- 
ing altogether, from Fez to Timbuctoo, one hundred 
and twenty-nine days, or four lunar months and nine 
days. 

Clarke's Wonders. 



READING LESSONS. 329 



LESSON XXIII. 

THE VATICAN LIBRARY. 

Cab'inet, n., a small room, closet, or other apartment : the term is 
sometimes applied to a casket containing rare coins, jewels, <fcc. 
F. cabinet, which i3 a diminutive of cabine, from cavanna, L., a hole, 
or cavern. 

Scope, n., extent ; extent viewed. G. skopos, that which is aimed 
at, viewed, observed, — from slceptomai, I view, I observe. 

Mythol'ogy, n., a system of fables, or fabulous history ; a discourse 
on fabulous story. L. and G. mythologia, from (G.) mythos, a fable, 
and lego, I read, I speak. 

Li'brary, n., a collection of books ; also, a gallery or room for books. 
L. libraria, from liber, the bark of a tree, a book, — because the an- 
cients wrote on the rind, or inner bark of trees. 

Constantinople, n., the capital of the Turkish empire, with a popu- 
lation exceeding 400,000. Constantine the Great, the first Chris- 
tian emperor, founded this city in 330, on the site of the ancient 
Byzantium. Constantinople, the city of Constantine. See "Me- 
tropolis," p. 182. 

Pon'tiff, n,, the Pope; a high priest. F. pontife ; L. pontifex, so 
styled because a certain bridge over the Tiber was built and dedi- 
cated by the chief priest, and kept in repair by the sacerdotal body : 
— from (L.) pons, a bridge, and facio, I make. 

Progression, n., regular and gradual advance. F. progression ; gra- 
dus, L., a step, an advance. 

Medal (med'-dal), n., metal stamped in commemoration of some re- 
markable occurrence or performance ; an ancient coin. F. ?ne- 
daille ; S. medalla, from (L.) metallum, a mineral, a mine. See 
" Metal," p. 273. 

Dyp'tichs, n., two-leaved records, which contained on one page all 
the names of the living, in the other the dead, that were of note 
in communion with the Church. L. diptycha ; G. diptychos, from 
dis, twice, and ptyche, a fold. 

Inscription, n., something written or engraved. F. inscription. See 
"Manuscript," p. 318. 

1. After having traversed the court of St. Dama- 
sus, and its adjoining halls and chapels, which may 
be considered as the state apartments of the Vatican, 
the traveller passes to that part of the palace which 
is called the Belvidere, from its elevation and pros- 
pect ; and proceeding along an immeasurable gal- 
lery, comes to an iron door on the left, that opens 
into the library of the Vatican. A large apartment 

28* 



330 THIRD BOOK OF 

for the two keepers, the secretaries, or rather the in- 
terpreters, seven in number, who can speak the prin- 
cipal languages of Europe, and who attend for the 
convenience of learned foreigners ; a double gallery 
of two hundred and twenty feet long, opening into 
another of eight hundred, with various rooms, cabi- 
nets, and apartments annexed, form this noble collec- 
tion. These galleries and apartments are all vaulted, 
and all painted, but with different effect, because, by 
painters of different eras and talents. The paintings 
have all some reference to literature, sacred or profane, 
and take in a vast scope of history and mythology. 

2. The books are kept in cases ; and in the Vati- 
can the traveller seeks in vain for that pompous dis- 
play of volumes, which he may have seen and ad- 
mired in other libraries. Their number has never 
been accurately stated : some confine it to two hun- 
dred thousand, others raise it to four hundred thou- 
sand, and many swell it to a million. The mean is 
probably the most accurate. But the superiority of 
this library arises, not from the quantity of printed 
books, but the multitude of its manuscripts, which 
are said to amount to more than fifty thousand. 
Some of these manuscripts, of the highest antiquity, 
such as that of a Virgil of the fifth century, a Greek 
Bible of the sixth, a Terence of the same date, &c, 
were taken by the French, and sent to Paris. 

3. The origin of this library is attributed by some 
to Pope Hilarius, in the fifth century ; but although 
it is probable that long before that period the Ro- 
man Church must have possessed a considerable 
stock of books for the use of its clergy, yet the Popes 
may be supposed to have been too much occupied 
with the dangers and difficulties of the times, to have 






READING LESSONS. 331 



had leisure or means necessary for the formation of 
libraries. That several volumes had been collected 
at an early period seems, however, certain, as it is 
equally so, that Pope Zachary augmented their num- 
ber very considerably about the middle of the eighth 
century. Nicholas V established the library in the 
Yatican, and enlarged the collection ; while Calixtus 
III is said to have enriched it with many volumes, 
saved from the libraries of Constantinople, at the 
taking of that city. From this period it continued 
in a regular progression, receiving almost every year 
vast additions, sometimes even of whole libraries, 
(as those of the elector palatine, of the dukes of Ur- 
bino, of queen Christina), owing not only to the fa- 
vour of the Pontiff and various princes, but to the 
well-directed zeal of its librarians, many of whom 
have been men, both of eminent talents, and of high 
rank and extensive influence. 

4. The French invasion, which brought with it so 
many evils, and, like a blast from hell, checked the 
prosperity of Italy in every branch and in every 
province, not only put a stop to the increase of the 
Yatican library, but by plundering it of some of its 
most valuable manuscripts, lowered its reputation, 
and undid at once the labour and exertion of ages. 
The galleries of the libraries open into various apart- 
ments, filled with antiquities, medals, <fec. One, in 
particular, is consecrated to the monuments of 
Christian antiquity, and contains a singular and un- 
paralleled collection of instruments of torture, em- 
ployed in the first persecutions ; as also the diptychs 
of communion with the great churches, monumental 
inscriptions, &c, a collection highly interesting to 
the ecclesiastical historian and enlightened Christian. 

Eustace. 



332 THIRD BOOK OF 



FRAGMENT. 

A milk-white Hind, immortal and unchanged, 

Fed on the lawns, and in the forest ranged ; 

Without unspotted, innocent within, 

She fear'd no danger, for she knew no sin : 

Yet had she oft been chased with horns and hounds, 

And Scythian shafts, and many winged wounds 

Aim'd at her heart ; was often forced to fly 

And doomed to death, though fated not to die. 

Dryden. 



LESSON XXIV. 

THE EVERLASTING CHURCH, 

Institution, n., that which is set up, ordained, or appointed. F. in- 
stitution, from (L.) instituo, — in, and statuo, I ordain, establish, or 
found. 

Panthe'on, n., a temple of ancient Rome dedicated to all the gods. F. 
pantheon; l.panteone; G. pantheion, from pan, all, and Theos, God. 

Camelopard (kam'- or kameF-), n., a beast so named from its resem- 
blance to the camel and leopard. L. camelopardalis. See " Leop- 
ard," p. 22. 

Se'ries, n., a conjoined or connected succession. L. series, from sero, 
I knit, I connect or join. 

August', a., sacred and venerable. I. and S. agosto ; L. augustus. 
In pagan times, whatever was consecrated by augury (L. auguri- 
urn), was styled august. 

Dynasty (di'- or din'-), n., a sovereignty ; a succession of supreme 
rulers. L. dynastia ; from dynamai, G., I am powerful. 

Fa'ble, n., anything feigned ; an invention or story ; — in this place, 
the ages or times of riction. F. fable. See " Fabulous," p. 95. 

Pa'pacy, n., the office, state, or dignity of the pope ; — in this place, 
the popedom. L. papatus. See " Pope," p. 266. 

Antique (-teek'), ».', an antiquity ; a faded remain or relic of ancient 
times. F. antique. See "Antiquity," p. 51. 

Hos'tile, a., inimical, adverse ; foe-like, or suitable to a foe. F. 
hostile from hostis, L., a foreigner, an enemy. 

For " Sacrifice," see p. 163 ; " Amphitheatre," p. 186 ; " Tiger," p. 49 ; 
" Pontiff," p. 329 ; " Twilight," p. 187 ; and " Eloquence," p. 244. 

1. There is not, and there never was, on this earth, 
an institution so well deserving of examination as 



READING LESSONS. 333 

the Koman Catholic Church. The history of that 
Church joins together the two great ages of civilisa- 
tion. No other institution is left standing which 
carries the mind back to the time when the smoke 
of sacrifice rose from the Pantheon, and when eam- 
elopards and tigers bounded in the Flavian amphi- 
theatre. The proudest royal houses are but of yes- 
terday when compared with the line of the Supreme 
Pontiffs. That line we trace back, in an unbroken 
series, from the Pope who crowned Napoleon in the 
nineteenth century, to the Pope who crowned Pepin 
in the eighth ; and far beyond the time of Pepin 
does this august dynasty extend. 

2. The republic of Venice came next in antiquity. 

- But the republic of Venice was modern when com- 
pared with the Papacy ; and the republic of Venice 
is gone, and the Papacy remains, not in decay, not 
a mere antique, but full of life and youthful vigour. 
The Catholic Church is still sending to the farthest 
ends of the world missionaries as zealous as those 
who landed in Kent with St. Augustin, and still con- 
fronting hostile kings with the same spirit with which 
she confronted Attila. The number of her children 
is greater than in any former age. Her acquisitions 

J in the New World have more than compensated her 
for w T hat she has lost in the Old. Her spiritual as- 
cendancy extends over the vast countries which lie 
between the plains of Missouri and Cape Horn; 
countries, which, a century hence, may not improb- 
ably contain a population as large as that which now 
inhabits Europe. The members of her communion 
are certainly not few r er than one hundred and fifty 
millions.* Nor do we see any sign which indicates 

* At present they are estimated at about two hundred millions. 



384 THIRD BOOK OF 

that the term of her long dominion is approaching. 
She saw the commencement of all the governments 
and of all the ecclesiastical establishments that now 
exist in the world, and feels no assurance that she is 
not destined to see the end of them all. She was 
respected before the Saxon had set foot in Britain, 
before the Frank had passed the Rhine, when Gre- 
cian eloquence still flourished at Antioch, when idols 
were still worshipped in the temple of Mecca ; and 
she may still exist in undiminished vigour, when 
some traveller from New Zealand shall, in the midst 
of a vast solitude, take his stand upon a broken arch 
of London Bridge, to sketch the ruins of St. Paul's. 

Macauley. 



LESSON XXV. 

TO THE FLYING FISH. 

1. When I have seen thy snowy wing 
O'er the blue w T ave at evening spring, 
And give those scales of silver white 
So gaily to the eye of light, 

As if thy frame were form'd to rise, 
And live amid the glorious skies ; 
Oh ! it has made me proudly feel 
How like thy wing's impatient zeal 
Is the pure soul, that scorns to rest 
Upon the world's ignoble breast, 
But takes the plume that God has given, 
And rises into light and heaven ! 

2. But when I see that wing so bright, 
Grow languid with a moment's flight, 
Attempt the paths of air in vain, 
And sink into the wave again ; 






READING LESSONS. 335 

Alas ! the flatt'ring pride is o'er; 
Like thee, awhile, the soul may soar, 
But erring man must blush to think 
Like thee, again, the soul may sink ! 

O Virtue ! when thy clime I seek, 

Let not my spirit's flight be weak : 

Let me not, like this feeble thing, 

With brine still dropping from its wing, 

Just sparkle in the solar glow, 

And plunge again to depths below ; 

But when I leave the grosser throng 

With whom my soul hath dwelt so long, 

Let me, in that aspiring day, 

Cast every ling'ring stain away, 

And, panting for thy purer air, 

Fly up at once, and fix me there. — Moore. 



DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM BY TITUS. 



From the last hill that looks on thy once holy dome, 
I beheld thee, O Sion ! when render'd to Rome : 
'Twas thy last sun went down, and the flames of thy fall 
Flash'd back on the last glance I gave to thy wall. 
I look'd for thy temple, I look'd for my home, 
I And forgot for a moment my bondage to come ; 
I beheld but the death-fire that fed on thy fane, 
And the fast fetter'd hands that make vengeance in 

vain. 
On many an eve, the high spot whence I gazed, 
Had reflected the last beam of day as it blazed, 
While I stood on the height, and beheld the decline 
Of the rays from the mountain that shone on thy 

shrine. 
Yet the gods of the pagan shall never profane 



336 THIRD BOOK OF 

The shrine where Jehovah disdain'd not to reign ; 
And scatter' d and scorn'd as thy people may be, 
Our worship, O Father ! is only for thee. — Byron. 



a pilgrim's hymn after a stormy night. 

( Written in the Fifteenth Century.) 

1. Lauded be thy name for ever, 
Thou, of life the guard and giver ! — 
Thou canst save thy creatures sleeping, 
Heal the heart long broke by weeping, 
And all the fury subject keep 

Of chafed cloud and angry deep. 
God of stillness and of motion, 
Of the rainbow and the ocean, 
Of the mountain, rock, and river, 
Glory to thy name for ever ! 

2. I have seen thy wondrous might 
Mid the terrors of this night : 

Thou that slumberest not, nor sleepest, 

Bless'd are they thou kindly keepest ! 

Spirits from the ocean under, 

Liquid flame and level thunder, 

Need not waken nor alarm them, 

All combined, they cannot harm them : — 

3. Thine is evening's yellow ray ; 
Thine is yonder dawning day, 
That rises from the distant sea, 
Like breathings of eternity ; — 
Thine the darkness of the night, 
Thine the flaming orb of light, 
Thine are all the gems of even, 
God of angels ! God of heaven ! 
God of light, that fade shall never, 
Glory to thy name for ever ! — Hogg. 






READING LESSONS. 337 

THE DANGEROUS EFFECTS OF FANCY. 

Wo to the youth whom Fancy gains, 

Winning from Reason's hand the reins. 

Pity and wo ! for such a mind 

Is soft, contemplative, and kind ; 

And wo to those who train such youth 

And spare to press the rights of truth, 

The mind to strengthen and anneal, 

While on the stithy glows the steel ! 

O teach him, while your lessons last, 

To judge the present by the past ; 

Remind him of each wish pursued, 

How rich it glowed with promised good ; 

Remind him of each wish enjoyed, 

How soon his hope's possession cloyed ! 

Tell him, we play unequal game, 

Whene'er we shoot by Fancy's aim ; 

And ere he strip him for her race, 

Show the conditions of the chase. 

Two sisters by the goal are set, 

Cold disappointment and regret ; 

One disenchants the winner's eyes, 

And strips of all its worth the prize, 

While one augments its gaudy show 

More to enhance the loser's wo. 

The victor sees his fairy gold 

Transform'd, when won, to drossy mould ; 

But still, the vanquish'd mourns his loss, 

And rues, as gold, that glittering dross. — Scott. 



DEATH OF THE CHRISTIAN. 

In view of the tomb, and on eternity's awful 
threshold, Christianity displays all its sublimity. If 

29 



888 THIBD BOOK OF 

most of the ancient religions consecrated the ashes of 
the dead, none of them ever thought of preparing 
the soul for that " undiscovered country from whose 
bourne no traveller returns." Come and behold the 
most interesting spectacle that earth can exhibit ; 
come and see the Christian expire. He hath ceased 
to be a creature of this world ; he hath . ceased to 
belong to his native country ; all connexion between 
him and society is at an end. For him the calcula- 
tion by time is closed ; and he is now begun to date 
from the grand era of eternity. A Priest seated by 
his pillow administers consolation. The servant of 
God cheers him with the prospect of immortality ; 
and the sublime scene which all antiquity exhibited 
but once in the greatest of its dying philosophers, is 
daily renewed on the humblest pallet of the meanest 
Christian who expires. At length the decisive mo- 
ment arrives ; — a sacrament opened for this just man 
the gates of the world — a sacrament closes them. 
Religion rocked him in the cradle of life ; her soothing 
voice and her maternal hand shall also lull him to 
sleep on the couch of death. His soul, nearly set 
free from his body, becomes almost visible in his 
face. Already he hears the concerts of the sera- 
phim ; already he prepares to speed his flight from 
the world to the regions whither hope invites him. 
He dies, — yet his last sigh was inaudible ; he ex- 
pires, — and long after he is no more, his friends keep 
silence around his bed, under the persuasion that he 
is only slumbering ; — so gentle and so easy is the 
departure of this Christian. "Let me die the death 
of the just, and let my last end be like to theirs." 

Chateaubriand. 



READING LESSONS. 339 

§ 7. LESSON I. 

DISCOVERY OF AMERICA. 

Colum'bus, n., the Latinized name of the great discoverer of Ameri- 
ca, called in I. Colombo, and in S. Colon. 

Squadron (skwod'-run), n n part of a fleet ; a number of ships. F. 
escadron. S. esquadron, from L. squadratus. 

Septem'ber, n., the ninth month of the year, and seventh from March, 
from L. septem, seven. F. Septe?nbre. 

For 'tune, n. y success, good or bad. L. fortuna. 

Requisite (rek'-we-zit), a., necessary ; needful ; required by the na- 
ture of things. L. requisitus. 

Inven'tive, a., quick at contrivance ; ready at expedients. F.inventif. 

Thor'ough, a., complete ; perfect. A.S. thurh. fc 

Maritime, a., relating to the sea; naval. F. L. maritimus. 

Magnetic, a., having the power of the magnet ; attractive. From 
G-. magnes, from Magnesia in Asia Minor. 

Com'pass, n., an instrument used to show or direct the course of a 
vessel, commonly called the Mariner's Compass. F. and S. compas. 






1. On Friday, the third day of August, in the year 
one thousand four hundred and ninety-two, Colum- 
bus set sail from Palos, in Spain, a little before sun- 
rise, in presence of a vast crowd of spectators, who 
sent up their supplications to Heaven for the pros- 
perous issue of the voyage ; which they wished, ra- 
ther than expected. 

2. His squadron, if it merit that name, consisted 
of no more than three small vessels, — the Santa Ma- 
ria, the Pinta, and the Nigna, — having on board 
ninety men, mostly sailors, together with a few ad- 
venturers, who followed the fortune of Columbus, and 
some gentlemen of the Spanish court, whom the 
queen appointed to accompany him. 

3. He steered directly for the Canary Islands; 
from which, after refitting his ships, and supplying 
himself with fresh provisions, he took his departure 
on the sixth day of September. Here the voyage of 
discovery may properly be said to have begun ; for 



340 THIRD BOOK OF 

Columbus, holding his course due west, left immedi- 
ately the usual track of navigation, and stretched 
into unfrequented and unknown seas. 

4. The first day, as it was very calm, he made but 
little way ; but, on the second, he lost sight of the 
Canaries ; and many of the sailors, already dejected 
and dismayed, when they contemplated the boldness 
of the undertaking, began to beat their breasts, and 
to shed tears, as if they were never more to behold 
land. Columbus comforted them with assurances of 
success, and the prospect of vast wealth in those op- 
ulent regions, whither he was conducting them. 

5. This early discovery of the spirit of his follow- 
ers taught Columbus that he must prepare to strug- 
gle not only with the unavoidable difficulties which 
might be expected from the nature of his undertak- 
ing, but with such as were likely to arise from the 
ignorance and timidity of the people under his com- 
mand ; and he perceived, that the art of governing 
the minds of men would be no less requisite for ac- 
complishing the discoveries which he had in view, 
than naval skill and an enterprising courage. 

6. Happily for himself, and for the country by 
which he was employed, he joined to the ardent tem- 
per and inventive genius of a projector, virtues of 
another species, which are rarely united with them. 
He possessed a thorough knowledge of mankind, an 
insinuating address, a patient perseverance in exe- 
cuting any plan, the perfect government of his own 
passions, and the talent of acquiring the direction of 
those of other men. 

7. All these qualities, which formed him for com- 
mand, were accompanied with that superior knowl- 
edge of his profession which begets confidence, in 



READING LESSONS. 341 

times of difficulty and danger. To unskilful Spanish 
sailors, accustomed only to coasting voyages in the 
Mediterranean, the maritime science of Columbus, 
the fruit of thirty years' experience, appeared im- 
mense. As soon as they put to sea, he regulated ev- 
erything by his sole authority ; he superintended the 
execution of every order, and, allowing himself only 
a few hours for sleep, he was, at all other times, 
upon deck. 

8. As his course lay through seas which had not 
been visited before, the sounding line, or instruments 
for observation, were continually in his hands. He 
attended to the motion of the tides and currents, 
watched the flight of birds, the appearance of fishes, 
of sea-weeds, and of everything that floated on the 
waves, and accurately noted every occurrence in a 
journal that he kept. 

9. Bj' the fourteenth day of September, the fleet 
was above two hundred leagues to the west of the 
Canary Isles, a greater distance from land than any 
Spaniard had ever been before that time. Here the 
sailors were struck with an appearance no less aston- 
ishing than new. They observed that the magnetic 
needle, in their compasses, did not point exactly to 
the north star, but varied towards the west. 

10. This appearance, which is now familiar, filled 
the companions of Columbus with terror. They were 
in an ocean boundless and unknown, nature itself 
seemed to be altered, and the only guide which they 
had left was about to fail them. Columbus, with no 
less quickness than ingenuity, invented a reason for 
this appearance, which, though it did not satisfy 
himself, seemed so plausible to them, that it dispelled 
their fears, and silenced their murmurs. 

29* 



342 THIRD BOOK OF 

LESSON II. 

DISCOVERY OF AMERICA (CONTINUED). 

October, n. y the tenth month of the year, the eighth from March 

From L. octo, eight. 
Prognos'tic* m., a sign by which a future event may be known or 

foretold. From G. prognosis. 
Fallacious, «., wearing a false appearance ; deceitful ; misleading. 

F. fallacieux. L. fallax, from /alio, to deceive. 
Per'ilous, a., dangerous ; hazardous ; full of risk. F. perilleux. 
Soothe, v., to soften ; to assuage ; to calm. A.S. gesothian. 
Infal'lible, a., not liable to fail ; incapable of mistake ; not to be 

misled or deceived ; certain. F. infallible. 
Symp'tom, n., a sign or token. F. symptome. G. sym/ptoma. 
Anguish (ang'-gwish), 71., extreme pain, either of body or mind. L. 

angustia. F. angoisse. I. angoscia. 
Congratulation, n. y the act of expressing one's joy or good wishes 

at the success or happiness of another. From L. congratulor. 
League, n., three miles, English and American, a measure used chief- 
ly at sea. Irish, leac. Welsh, llec. F. lieue. I. legu. S. legua. 

1. On the first of October, they were about seven 
hundred and seventy leagues west of the Canaries. 
They had now been above three weeks at sea : all 
their prognostics of discovery, drawn from the flight 
of birds, and other circumstances, had proved falla- 
cious, and their prospect of success seemed now to 
be as distant as ever. The spirit of discontent and 
of mutiny began to manifest itself among the sailors, 
and, by degrees, the contagion spread from ship to 
ship. 

2. All agreed, that Columbus should be compelled, 
by force, to return, while their crazy vessels were yet 
in a condition to keep the sea ; and some even pro- 
posed to throw him overboard, as the most expedi- 
tious method of getting rid of his remonstrances, and 
of securing a seasonable return to their native land. 

3. Columbus was fully sensible of his perilous sit- 
uation. He perceived that it would be of no avail 
to have recourse to any of his former expedients, to 



READING LESSONS. 343 

lead on the hopes of his companions, and that it was 
impossible to rekindle any zeal for the success of the 
expedition, among men in whose breasts fear had ex- 
tinguished every generous sentiment. 

4. He found it necessary to soothe passions, which 
he could no longer command, and to give way to a 
torrent too impetuous to be checked. He according- 
ly promised his men, that he would comply with 
their request, provided they would accompany him, 
and obey his commands, for three days longer ; and 
if, during that time, land were not discovered, he 
would then abandon the enterprise, and direct his 
course towards Spain. 

5. Enraged as the sailors were, and impatient as 
they were of returning to their native country, this 
proposition did not appear to them unreasonable : 
nor did Columbus hazard much in confining himself 
to a time so short ; for the presages of discovering 
land had become so numerous and promising, that 
he deemed them infallible. 

6. For some days the sounding line had reached 
the bottom ; and the soil, which it brought up, indi- 
cated land to be at no great distance. The flocks of 
birds increased, and were composed not only of sea- 
fowl, but of such land birds as could not be supposed 
to fly far from the shore. 

7. The crew of the Pinta observed a cane floating, 
which seemed to have been newly cut, and likewise 
a piece of timber artificially carved. The sailors 
aboard the Nigna took up the branch of a tree, with 
red berries, perfectly fresh. The clouds, around the 
setting sun, assumed a new appearance ; the air was 
more mild and warm ; and during night, the wind 
became unequal and variable. 



344 THIRD BOOK OF 

8. From all these symptoms, Columbus was so 
confident of being near land, that, on the evening of 
the eleventh of October, after public prayers for suc- 
cess, he ordered the sails to be furled, and strict 
watch to be kept, lest the ship should be driven 
ashore in the night. During this interval of suspense 
and expectation, no man shut his eyes ; all kept upon 
deck, gazing intently towards that quarter where they 
exj)ected to discover the land, which had been so long 
the object of their wishes. 

9. About two hours before midnight, Columbus, 
standing on the forecastle, observed a light at a dis- 
tance, and privately pointed it out to two of his peo- 
ple. All three saw it in motion, as if it were carried 
from place to place. A little after midnight, the joy- 
ful sound of Land! Land! was heard from the 
Pinta. But, having been so often deceived by falla- 
cious appearances, they had now become slow of be- 
lief, and waited, in all the anguish of uncertainty and 
impatience, for the return of day. 

10. As soon as morning dawned, their doubts and 
fears were dispelled. They beheld an island about 
two leagues to the north, whose flat and verdant 
fields, well stored with wood, and watered with many 
rivulets, presented to them the aspect of a delightful 
country. The crew of the Pinta instantly began a 
hymn of thanksgiving to God, and w r ere joined by 
those of the other ships, with tears of joy, and trans- 
ports of congratulation. 



READING LESSONS. 345 

lesson in. 

DISCOVERY OF AMERICA (CONCLUDED). 

Ig'norance, », want, absence, or destitution of knowledge. L. iq- 

norantia. 
Incredu'lity, n., the quality of not believing ; indisposition to be- 
lieve. F. incredulite. 
In'solence, n., gride or haughtiness manifested in contemptuous and 

overbearing Treatment of others ; petulant contempt ; impudence. 

L. insolentia. 
Spec'tacle, 7i., a show ; any thing seen ; a sight. L. spectaculum. I. 

spcttacolo. 
Pros 'tr ate, v., to lay flat ; to throw down. From L. prostratus, lying 

at length. 
Tress, *., a lock or weft of hair. F. tresse. 
Fantas 'tic ally, ad, in a fantastic manner; whimsically. From F. 

fantastique. I. fantastico. G. phantasia. 
Canoe', n., a boat impelled by a paddle instead of an oar. F. canot. 

S. canoa. 
Am'icably, ad., in a friendly manner; with good will. From L. 

amicabilis, friendly. 
Calamity, n., sl great misfortune, or cause of misery. L. calamitas. 

1.. This office of gratitude to Heaven was followed 
by an act of justice to their commander. They threw 
themselves at the feet of Columbus, with feelings of 
self-condemnation, mingled with reverence. They 
implored him to pardon their ignorance, incredulity, 
and insolence, which had created him so much un- 
necessary disquiet, and had so often obstructed the 
prosecution of his well-concerted plan ; and passing, 
in the warmth of their admiration, from one extreme 
to another, they now pronounced the man, whom 
they had so lately reviled and threatened, to be a 
person inspired, by Heaven, with sagacity and forti- 
tude more than human, in order to accomplish a de- 
sign so far beyond the ideas and conceptions of all 
former ages. 

2. As soon as the sun arose, all the boats were 
manned and armed. They rowed towards the island 



84:6 THIRD BOOK OF 

with their colours displayed, warlike music, and oth- 
er martial pomp; and, as they approached the coast, 
they saw it covered with a multitude of people, whom 
the novelty of the spectacle had drawn together, and 
whose attitude and gestures expressed wonder and 
astonishment at the strange objects which presented 
themselves to their view. 

3. Columbus was the first European Who set foot 
in the New World which he had discovered. He 
landed in a rich dress, and with a naked sword in 
his hand. His men followed, and, kneeling down, 
they all kissed the ground which they had long de- 
sired to see. 

4. They next erected a crucifix, and, prostrating 
themselves before it, returned thanks to God for con- 
ducting their voyage to such a happy issue. They 
then took solemn possession of the country for the 
crown of Castile and Leon, with all the formalities 
with which the Portuguese were accustomed to take 
possession of their new discoveries. 

5. The Spaniards, while thus employed, were sur- 
rounded by many of the natives, who gazed," in silent 
admiration, upon actions which they could not com- 
prehend, and of which they did not foresee the con- 
sequences. The dress of the Spaniards, the white- 
ness of their skins, their beards, their arms, appeared 
strange and surprising, 

6. The vast machines, in which they had traversed 
the ocean, that seemed to move upon the water with 
wings, and uttered a dreadful sound, resembling 
thunder, accompanied with lightning and smoke, 
struck them with such terror, that they began to re- 
spect their new guest? as a superior order of beings, 






BEADING LESSONS. 347 

and concluded that they were children of the sun, 
who had descended to visit the earth. 

7. The Europeans were hardly less amazed at the 
scene now before them. Every herb, and shrub, and 
tree, was different from those which flourished in 
Europe. The soil seemed to be rich, but bore few 
marks of cultivation. The climate, even to Span- 
iards, felt warm, though extremely delightful. 

8. The inhabitants were entirely naked : their black 
hair, long and uncurled, floated upon their shoulders, 
or was bound in tresses around their heads ; they had 
no beards ; their complexion was of a dusky copper 
colour ; their features singular, rather than disagree- 
able ; their aspect gentle and timid. 

9. Though not tall, they were well shaped and ac- 
tive. Their faces, and other parts of their body were 
fantastically painted with glaring colours. They were 
shy at first, through fear, but soon became familiar 
with the Spaniards, and, with transports of joy, re- 
ceived from them hawks' bells, glass beads, and oth- 
er baubles ; in return for which, they gave such pro- 
visions as they had, and some cotton yarn, the only 
commodity of value which they could produce. 

10. Towards evening, Columbus returned to his 
ships, accompanied by many of the islanders in their 
boats, which they called canoes; and, though rudely 
formed out of the trunk of a single tree, they rowed 
them with surprising dexterity. 

11. Thus, in the first interview between the inhab- 
itants of the Old World and those of the New, every- 
thing was conducted amicably, and to their mutual 
satisfaction. The former, enlightened and ambitious, 
formed already vast ideas with respect to the advan- 



348 THIRD BOOK OF 

tages which they might derive from those regions 
that began to open to their view. The latter, simple 
and undiscerning, had no foresight of the calamities 
and desolation, which were now approaching their 

country. 

Abridged from Robertson. 



LESSON IV. 

•STORY AND SPEECH OF LOGAN, AN INDIAN CHIEF. 

In'dians, »., the name now universally given to the aboriginal tribes 
of America, from the mistake of Columbus, in supposing that that 
part of the new world discovered by him, belonged to India. 

El'oquence, n. f the power of speaking with fluency and elegance ; 
oratory. L. eloquentia. 

Em'inence, n., reputation ; celebrity ; fame ; supreme degree. L. em- 
inentia, from eminens, from emineo, to stand, or show itself above. 

Demos'thenes, n., a famous Grecian orator, who destroyed himself by 
poison, B. C. 319. 

Cic/ero, w., a celebrated orator and writer among the Romans, who, 
to satisfy the hatred of Mark Antony, was put to death B. C. 43. 

Tes'timony, w., proof. L. testimonium. 

Sum 'mar y, a., short ; brief. F. sommaire. 

Ven'geance, n., punishment; retribution. From F. venger, to re- 
venge. L. vindico. 

Glut, v., to fill beyond sufficiency; more than enough! L. glntio. 
F. engloutir. 

Har'bour, v., to entertain. From A.S. here-berga, a station, a place 
of rest. 

1. The principles of society, among the American 
Indians, .forbidding all compulsion, they are to be 
led to duty, and to enterprise, by personal influence 
and persuasion. Hence, eloquence in council, bra- 
very and address in war, become the foundations of 
all consequence with them. To these acquirements 
all their faculties are directed. Of their bravery and 
address in war, we have multiplied proofs, because 
we have been the subjects on which they were exer- 
cised. 



READING LESSONS. 349 

2. Of their eminence in oratory we have fewer ex- 
amples, because it is displayed, chiefly, in their own 
councils. Some, however, we have of very superior 
lustre. I may challenge the whole orations of De- 
mosthenes and Cicero, and of any more eminent 
orator, — if Europe has furnished more eminent, — to 
produce a single passage superior to the speech of 
Logan, a Mingo chief, to Lord Dunmore, when gov- 
ernor of Yirginia. And, as a testimony of their tal- 
ents in this line, I beg leave to introduce it, first 
stating the incidents necessary for understanding it. 

3. In the spring of the year 1774:, a robbery was 
committed by some Indians on certain , land adven- 
turers on the river Ohio. The whites, in that quar- 
ter, according to their custom, undertook to punish 
this outrage in a summary way. Captain Michael 
Cresap, and a certain Daniel Greathouse, leading on 
these parties, surprised, at different times, travelling 
and hunting parties of the Indians, having their wo- 
men and children with them, and murdered many. 
Among these were, unfortunately, the family of Lo- 
gan, a chief, celebrated in peace and war, and long 
distinguished as the friend of the whites. 

4. This unworthy return provoked his vengeance. 
He accordingly signalized himself in the war which 
ensued. In the autumn of the same year a decisive 
battle was fought at the mouth of the Great Kenha- 
way, between the collected forces of the Shawanese, 
Mingoes, and Delawares, and a detachment of the 
Virginia militia. The Indians were defeated, and 
sued for peace. Logan, however, disdained to be 
seen among the suppliants. But, lest the sincerity 
of a treaty should be distrusted, from which so dis- 
tinguished a chief absented himself, he sent by a 

30 



350 THIRD BOOK OF 

messenger the following speech, to be delivered to 
Lord Dunmore. 

5. " I appeal to any white man to say, if ever he 
entered Logan's cabin hungry, and he gave him not 
meat : if ever he came cold and naked, and he 
clothed him not. During the course of the last long 
and bloody war, Logan remained idle in his cabin, 
an advocate for peace. Such was my love for the 
whites, that my countrymen pointed as they passed, 
and said, 'Logan is the friend of white men.' I had 
even thought to have lived with you, but for the in- 
juries of one man. 

6. " Colonel Cresap, the last spring, in cold blood, 
and unprovoked, murdered all the relations of Lo- 
gan, not' even sparing my women and children. 
There runs not a drop of my blood in the veins of 
any living creature. This called on me for revenge. 
I have sought it : I have killed many : I have fully 
glutted my vengeance. For my country, I rejoice at 
the beams of peace : but do not harbour a thought 
that mine is the joy of fear. Logan never felt fear. 
He will not turn on his heel to save his life. Who 
is there to mourn for Logan ? — Not one." 

Jefferson. 



LESSON V. 

GRANDEUR AND MORAL INTEREST OF AMERICAN AN- 
TIQUITIES. 

Rec'ord, n., a register ; authentic memorial. From L. recordor, to 

call to mind ; to remember. 
Race, n., indefinite series of descendants. F. From L. radix. I. razza. 

S. raza. 
Mound, n., something raised as a defence, or fortification. A.S. mund. 
Well, n., a spring, or fountain ; a pit, or cylindrical hole sunk per- 



BEADING LESSONS. 351 

pendicularly into the earth to reach a supply of water, and walled 

with stone. A.S. 
Pot'tery, n., earthenware; vessels or ware made by potters. F. 

poterie. 
A'cre, n., a certain quantity of land. A.S. acer, acera, or cecer. 
Remote', a., distant in place or time. L. rcmotus. 
Proxim'ity, »., immediate nearness. F. proximite. L. proximitax. 
Moul'der, v., to turn to dust ; to crumble ; to waste. Danish, mulner. 
Proj'ect, 7i., scheme ; design ; contrivance. F. projet. 

1. You will expect me to say something of the 
lonely records of the former races that inhabited this 
country. That there has, formerly, been a much 
more numerous population than exists here at pres- 
ent, I am fully impressed, from the result of my own 
personal observations. From the highest points of 
the Ohio, to where I am now writing,* and far up 
the upper Mississippi and Missouri, the more the 
country is explored and peopled, and the more its 
surface is penetrated, not only are there more 

' mounds brought to view, but more incontestable 
marks of a numerous population. 

2. Wells, artificially walled, different structures of 
convenience or defence, have been found in such 
numbers as no longer to excite curiosity. Orna- 
ments of silver and of copper, pottery, of which I 
have seen numberless specimens on all these waters, 
— not to mention the mounds themselves, and the 
still more tangible evidence of human bodies found 
in a state of preservation, and of sepulchres full of 
bones, — are unquestionable demonstrations that this 
country was once possessed of a numerous popula- 
tion. # * * The mounds themselves, though of earth, 
are not those rude and shapeless heaps that they 
have been commonly represented to be. I have 
seen, for instance, in different parts of the Atlantic 
country, the breast-works and other defences of earth 

* St. Charles, on the Missouri. 



352 THIRD BOOK OF 

that were thrown up by our people during the war 
of the revolution. None of those monuments date 
back more than fifty years. These mounds must 
date back to remote depths in the olden time. 

3. From the ages of the trees on them, and from 
other data, we can trace them back six hundred 
years, leaving it entirely to the imagination to de- 
scend farther into the depths of time beyond. And 
yet, after the rains, the washing, and the crumbling 
of so many ages, many of them are still twenty-five 
feet high. All of them are, incomparably, more 
conspicuous monuments than the works which I just 
noticed. Some of them are spread over an extent of 
acres. I have seen, great and small, I should, sup- 
pose, a hundred. Though diverse in position and 
form, they all have an uniform character. 

4. They are, for the most part, in rich soils, and 
in conspicuous situations. Those on the Ohio are 
covered with very large trees. But in the prairie 
regions, where I have seen the greatest numbers, 
they are covered with tall grass, and generally near 
benches, — which indicate the former courses of the 
rivers, — in the finest situations for present culture ; 
and the greatest population clearly has been in those 
very positions where the most dense future popula- 
tion will be. * * * 

5. The English, when they sneer at our country, 
speak of it as steril in moral interest. " It has," say 
they, " no monuments, no ruins, none of the massive 
remains of former ages ; no castles, no mouldering 
abbeys, no baronial towers and dungeons ; nothing 
to connect the imagination and the heart with the 
past ; no recollections of former ages, to associate the 
past with the future." 



READING LESSONS. 353 

6. But I have been attempting sketches of the 
largest and most fertile valley in the world, larger, 
in fact, than half of Europe, all its remotest points 
being brought into proximity by a stream, which 
runs the length of that continent, and to which all 
but two or three of the rivers of Europe are but 
rivulets. Its forests make a respectable figure, even 
placed beside Blenheim park. 

7. We have lakes which could find a place for the 
Cumberland lakes in the hollow of one of their 
islands. We have prairies, which have struck me 
as among the sublimest prospects in nature. There 
we see the sun rising over a boundless plain, where 
the blue of the heavens, in all directions, touches and 
mingles with the verdure of the flowers. It is to me 
a view far more glorious than that on which the sun 
rises over a barren and angry w T aste of sea. The one 
is soft, cheerful, associated with life, and requires an 
easier effort of the imagination to travel beyond the 
eye. The other is grand, but dreary, desolate, and 
always ready to destroy. 

8. In the most pleasing positions of these prairies, 
we have our Indian mounds, which proudly rise 
above the plain. At first the eye mistakes them for 
hills; but, when it catches the regularity of their 
breast-works and ditches, it discovers at once that 
they are the labours of art and of men. 

9. When the evidence of the senses convinces us 
that human bones moulder in these masses ; when 
you dig about them, and bring to light their domes- 
tic utensils ; and are compelled to believe that the 
busy tide of life once flowed here, when you see at 
once that these races were of a very different char- 
acter from the present generation, — you begin to in- 

30* 



854 THIRD BOOK OF 

quire if any tradition, if any, the faintest, records can 
throw any light upon these habitations of men of 
another age. 

10. Is there no scope, beside these mounds, for 
imagination, and for contemplation of the past? 
The men, their joys, their sorrows, their bones, are 
all buried together. But the grand features of na- 
ture remain. There is the beautiful prairie, over 
which they " strutted through life's poor play." The 
forests, the hills, the mounds, lift their heads in un- 
alterable repose, and furnish the same sources of 
contemplation to us, that they did to those genera- 
tions that have passed away. 

11. It is true, we have little reason to suppose, 
that they were the guilty dens of petty tyrants, who 
let loose their half savage vassals to burn, plunder, 
enslave, and despoil an adjoining den. There are 
no remains of those vast and useful monasteries that 
are to be seen in the old world, where holy men em- 
ployed their time in prayer, copying the Bible and 
other books. 

12. Here must have been a race of men, on these 
charming plains, that had every call from the scenes 
that surrounded them, to contented existence and 
tranquil meditation. Unfortunate, as men view the 
thing, they must have been. Innocent and peaceful 
they probably were ; for, had they been reared amidst 
wars and quarrels, like the present Indians, they 
would, doubtless, have maintained their ground, and 
their posterity would have remained to this day. 
Beside them moulder the huge bones of their con- 
temporary beasts, which must have been of thrice 
the size of the elephant. 

13. I cannot judge of the recollections excited by 



READING LESSONS. 355 

castles and towers that I have not seen. But I have 
seen all of grandeur, which our cities can display. 
I have seen, too, these lonely tombs of the desert, — 
seen them rise from these boundless and unpeopled 
plains. My imagination and my heart have been 
full of the past. The nothingness of the brief dream 
of human life has forced itself upon my mind. The 
unknown race to which these bones belonged had, I 
doubt not, as many projects of ambition, and hoped 
as sanguinely to have their names survive, as the 
great ones of the present day. 

T. Flint. 



LESSON VI. 

THE AMERICAN INDIAN, AS HE W^AS, AND AS HE IS. 

Generation, n. In the sense here used, an age. From L. generans, 

genero. 
Wig'wam, n. y an Indian cabin, or hut. 

Whoop, n., a shout of war, or pursuit. Goth, wopyan. A.S. hweopan. 
Ta'ble, n.. a flat surface of some extent, or a thing that has a flat 

surface. F. From L. tabula. I. tavola. S. tab/a. 
Whirl'wind, w., a violent wind moving in a circle round its axis. 

Ger. wirbel, whirl, and A.S. and Ger. wind, wind. 
Progenitor, n., an ancestor ; a forefather. L. from progigno, pro 

and gigno, to beget. G. gennao. , 
Fal'con (fawk'n), n., a hawk. Y.faucon. I.falcone. Jj.falco. 
Inquis'itive, a., apt to ask questions ; addicted to inquiry. From L. 

inquiro, in and guoero, to seek. 
Exterminator, n., he or that which exterminates. From L. extermi- 

no, to exterminate. 
Trib'ute, »., a personal contribution. F. tribut. L. tributum, to give, 

bestow, or divide. 

1. Not many generations ago, where you now sit, 
circled with all that exalts and embellishes civilized 
life, the rank thistle nodded in the wind, and the 
wild fox dug his hole unscared. Here lived and 
loved another race of beings. Beneath the same sun 
that rolls over your heads, the Indian hunter pursued 



356 THIRD BOOK OF 

the panting deer ; gazing on the same moon that 
smiles for you, the Indian lover wooed his dusky 
mate. 

2. Here the wigwam blaze beamed on the tender 
and helpless, the council-fire glared on the wise and 
daring. Now they dipped their noble limbs in your 
sedgy lakes, and now they paddled their light canoe 
along your rocky shores. Here they warred; the 
echoing whoop, the bloody grapple, the defying 
death-song, all were here ; and when the tiger strife 
was over, here curled the smoke of peace. 

3. Here, too, they worshipped ; and from many a 
dark bosom went up a pure prayer to the Great 
Spirit. He had not written his laws for them on 
tables of stone, but he had traced them on the tables 
of their hearts. The poor child of nature knew not 
the God of revelation, but the God of the universe 
he acknowledged in everything around. 

4. He beheld him in the star that stink in beauty 
behind his lonely dwelling ; in the sacred orb that 
flamed on him from his mid-day throne ; in the 
flower that snapped in the morning breeze ; in the 
lofty pine, that defied a thousand whirlwinds ; in the 
timid warbler that never left its native grove ; in the 
fearless eagle, whose untired pinion was wet in 
clouds ; in the worm that crawled at his foot ; and in 
his own matchless form, glowing with a spark of that 
light, to whose mysterious Source he bent, in hum- 
ble, though blind adoration. 

5. And all this has passed away. Across the 
ocean came a pilgrim bark, bearing the seeds of life 
and death. The former were sown for you ; the lat- 
ter sprang up in the path of the simple native. Two 
hundred years have changed the character of a great 



READING LESSONS. 357 

continent, and blotted forever from its face a whole 
peculiar people. Art has usurped the bowers of na- 
ture, and the anointed children of education have 
been too powerful for the tribes of the ignorant. 

6. Here and there a stricken few remain ; but how 
unlike their bold, untamed, untameable progenitors ! 
The Indian, of falcon glance, and lion bearing, the 
theme of the touching- ballad, the hero of the pathetic 
tale, is gone ! and his degraded offspring crawl upon 
the soil where he walked in majesty, to remind us 
how miserable is man, when the foot of the con- 
queror is on his neck. 

7. As a race, they have withered from the land. 
Their arrows are broken, their springs are dried up, 
their cabins are in the dust. Their council-fire has 
long since gone out on the shore, and their war-cry 
is fast dying to the untrodden "West. Slowly and 
sadly they climb the distant mountains, and read 
their doom in the setting sun. They are shrinking 
before the mighty tide which is pressing them away ; 
they must soon hear the roar of the last wave, which 
will settle over them forever. 

8. Ages hence the inquisitive white man, as he 
stands by some growing city, will ponder on the 
structure of their disturbed remains, and wonder to 
what manner of person they belonged. They will 
live only in the songs and chronicles of their exter- 
minators. Let these be faithful to their rude virtues 
as men, and pay due tribute to their unhappy fate as 

a people. 

C. Spragtje. 



358 THIRD BOOK OF 



LESSON VII. 

PASSAGE OF THE POTOMAC AND SHENANDOAH RIVERS 
THROUGH THE BLUE RIDGE. 

Pas'sage, n., road ; way ; avenue. F. S. pasage. I, passagio. 
Approach', v., to come or go near ; to draw near ; to advance nearer. 

F. approcher, from proche, near. I. approcciare. 
Junc'tion (-shun), n., the place or point of union, F. jonction, from 

L.junctio, from jungo, to join. 
Disruption (-shun), n., breach ; rent. L. disruptio, from disrumpo. 
Avul'sion, n., a pulling or tearing from or asunder ; a rending or 

forcible separation. L. avulsio, from avello, a and vello> to pull. 
Con'trast, n., opposition and dissimilitude of figures, by which one 

contributes to the effect of another. F. contraste. 
Clo'ven, v., divided ; parted. From A.S. cleofian, to split and to 

adhere. 
Prec/ipioe, n., a steep descent. F. From L. prwipitium. 
Ultimately, ad., in the last consequence. From L. ultimus. 
Frag'ment, n., a part separated from the rest ; an imperfect part. 

L. fragmentium, from fra?igo, to break. 

1. The passage of the Potomac through the Blue 
Ridge is, perhaps, one of the most stupendous scenes 
in nature. You stand on a very high point of land. 
On your right comes up the Shenandoah, having 
ranged along the foot of the mountain a hundred 
miles, to seek a vent. On your left approaches the 
Potomac, in quest of a passage also. In the moment 
of their junction they rush together against the 
mountain, rend it asunder, and pass off to the sea. 

2. The first glance of this scene hurries our senses 
into the opinion, that this earth has been created in 
time ; that the mountains were formed first ; that the 
rivers began to flow afterwards ; that, in this place 
particularly, they have been dammed up by the Blu^ 
Ridge of mountains, and have formed an ocean, 
which filled the whole valley ; that, continuing to 
rise, they have, at length, broken over at this spot, 
and have torn the mountain down, from its summit 



READING LESSONS. 359 

to its base. The piles of rock on each hand, but par- 
ticularly on the Shenandoah, the evident marks of 
their disruption and avulsion from their beds, by the 
most powerful agents of nature, corroborate this im- 
pression. 

3. But the distant finishing, which nature has giv- 
en to the picture, is of a very different character. It 
is a true contrast to the foreground. That is as pla- 
cid and delightful, as this is wild and tremendous. 
For the mountain, being cloven asunder, presents to 
your eye, through the cleft, a small catch of smooth 
blue horizon, at an infinite distance in the plain 
country, inviting you, as it were, from the riot and 
tumult roaring around, to pass through the breach, 
and participate of the calm below. 

4. Here the eye ultimately composes itself; and 

that way, too, the road happens actually to lead. You 

cross the Potomac above the junction, pass along its 

side through the base of the mountain, for three 

miles ; its terrible precipices hanging in fragments 

over you. This scene is worth a voyage across the 

Atlantic. Yet here, as in the neighbourhood of the 

Natural Bridge, are people, who have passed their 

lives within half a dozen miles, and have never been 

to survey these monuments of a war between rivers 

and mountains which must have shaken the earth 

itself to its centre. 

Jefferson. 



360 THIED BOOK OH 



LESSON YIIL 

ACCOUNT OF THE FIRST HOSTILE ATTACK UPON THE 
AMERICAN COLONISTS, BY THE BRITISH TROOPS, IN 
THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION, AT LEXINGTON AND 
CONCORD, MASS., 19TH APRIL, 1775. 

Gar'rison, n., a body of troops stationed in a fort, or fortified town, 

to defend it against an enemy. F. garnison. S. guarnicon. 
Formidable, a., adapted to excite fear, and deter from approach, 

encounter, or undertaking. L. formidabilis. 
Blockade', v., to shut up a town or fortress by posting troops at all 

its avenues. From L. bloccato, blocked up. 
Hos'tage, n., one given in pledge for security of performance of con- 
ditions. F. otage, or ostdge. 
Reimburse', v., to repay ; to repair loss or expense by an equivalent. 

F. rembourser. 
Chimer'ical (ch like k), a., imaginary ; fanciful. From L. chimcera. G. 

chime ir a. 
Conflagration, n., a great fire, or the burning of any great mass. 

L. conflagratio. 
Mercenary, «., venal ; that may be hired. F. mercenaire. L. mer- 

cenarius. 
Au'gury, n., omen ; prediction ; prognostication. L. augurium. 
Ema'oiate, v., to lose flesh ; to become lean ; to waste away. L. 

emacio, from maceo or macer, lean. G. mikJcos, mikros. 
Manozu'vre, n., management ; dexterous movement,- particularly in 

an army or navy. F. from main, the hand, and ceuvre, work. L. 

manus and opera. 
Evolu'tion, n., in military tactics, the doubling of ranks or files, 

wheeling, counter-marching, <fec. L. evolutio. 

1. War being every moment expected, the partic- 
ular fate of the inhabitants of Boston had become the 
object of general solicitude. The garrison was for- 
midable ; the fortifications were carried .to perfection, 
and little hope remained, that this city would be 
wrested from British domination. Nor could the 
citizens flatter themselves more with the hope of 
escaping by sea ; as the port was blockaded by a 
squadron. 

2. Thus confined, amidst an irritated soldiery, the 
Bostonians found themselves exposed to endure all 



READING LESSORS. 361 

the outrages to be apprehended from military license. 
Their city had become a close prison, and themselves 
no better than hostages in the hands of the British 
commanders. This consideration alone sufficed great- 
ly to impede all civil and military operations pro- 
jected by the Americans. 

3. Various expedients were suggested, in order to 
extricate the Bostonians from this embarrassing situ- 
ation ; which, if they evinced no great prudence, 
certainly demonstrated no ordinary obstinacy. Some 
advised, that all the inhabitants of Boston should 
abandon the city, and take refuge in other places, 
where they should be succoured at the public ex- 
pense : but this design was totally impracticable, 
since it depended on General Gage to prevent its 
execution. 

4. Others recommended, that a valuation should 
be made of the houses and furniture belonging to the 
inhabitants ; that the city should then be fired ; and 
that all the losses should be reimbursed from the 
public treasure. After mature deliberation, this pro- 
ject was also pronounced not only very difficult, but 
absolutely impossible to be executed. 

5. Many inhabitants, however, left the city pri- 
vately, and withdrew into the interior of the country ; 
some, from disgust at this species of captivity ; others, 
from fear of the approaching hostilities ; and others, 
finally, from apprehensions of being questioned for 
acts against the government ; but a great number, 
also, with a firm resolution, preferred to remain, and 
brave all consequences whatever. 

6. The soldiers of the garrison, weary of their long 
confinement, desired to sally forth, and drive away 
these rebels, who intercepted their provisions, and 

31 



362 THIKD BOOK OF 

for whom they cherished so profound a contempt. 
The inhabitants of Massachusetts, on the other hand, 
were proudly indignant at this opinion of their cow- 
ardice, entertained by the soldiers ; and panted for 
an occasion to prove, by a signal vengeance, the false- 
hood of the reproach. 

7. In the mean time, the news arrived of the^ king's 
speech at the opening of Parliament; of the resolu- 
tions adopted by this body ; and, finally, of the act 
by which the inhabitants of Massachusetts were de- 
clared rebels. All the province flew to arms : indig- 
nation became fury,- — obstinacy, desperation. All 
idea of reconciliation had become chimerical : neces- 
sity stimulated the most timid ; a thirst of vengeance 
fired every breast. The match is lighted, — the ma- 
terials disposed, — the conflagration impends. The 
children are prepared to combat against their fathers ; 
citizens against citizens ; and, as the Americans de- 
clared, the friends of liberty against its oppressors, — - 
against the founders of tyranny. 

8. " In these arms," said they, " in our right hands, 
are placed the hope of safety, the existence of coun- 
try, the defence of property, the honour of our wives 
and daughters. With these alone can we repulse a 
licentious soldiery, protect what man holds dearest 
upon earth, and, unimpaired, transmit our rights to 
our descendants. The world will admire our courage ; 
all good men will second us with their wishes and 
prayers, and celebrate our names with immortal 
praises. Our memory will become dear to posterity. 
It will be the example, as the hope, of freemen, and 
the dread of tyrants, to the latest ages. It is time 
that old and contaminated England should be made 
acquainted with the energies of America, in the 



READING LESSONS. 363 

prime and innocence of her youth; it is time she 
should know how much superior are our soldiers, in 
courage and constancy, to vile mercenaries. We 
must look back no more ! We must conquer, or die ! 
We are placed between altars smoking with the most 
grateful incense of glory and gratitude, on the one 
part, and blocks and dungeons on the other. Let 
each, then, rise, and gird himself for the combat. 
The dearest interests of this world command it : our 
most holy religion enjoins it: that God, who eter- 
nally rewards the virtuous and punishes the wicked, 
ordains it. Let us accept these happy auguries ; for 
already the mercenary satellites, sent by wicked 
ministers to reduce this innocent people to extrem- 
ity, are imprisoned within the walls of a single city, 
where hunger emaciates them, rage devours them, 
death consumes them. Let us banish every fear, 
every alarm : fortune smiles upon the efforts of the 
brave !" 

9. By similar discourse, they excited one another, 
and prepared themselves for defence. The fatal mo- 
ment is arrived : the signal of civil war is given. 

10. General Gage was informed, that the provin- 
cials had amassed large quantities of arms and am- 
munition, in the towns of Worcester and Concord ; 
which last is eighteen miles distant from the city of 
Boston. Excited by the loyalists, who had persuaded 
him that he would find no resistance, considering the 
cowardice of the patriots, and, perhaps, not imagin- 
ing that the sword would be drawn so soon, he re- 
solved to send a few companies to Concord, in order 
to seize the military stores deposited there, and trans- 
port them to Boston, or destroy them. 

11. It was said, also, that he had it in view, by 



364 THIRD BOOK OF 

this sudden expedition, to get possession of the per- 
sons of John Hancock and Samuel Adams, two of 
the most ardent patriot chiefs, and the principal di- 
rectors of the provincial congress, then assembled 
in the town of Concord. But, to avoid exciting irri- 
tation, and the popular tumults, which might have 
obstructed his^design, he resolved to act with caution, 
and in the shade of mystery. 

12. Accordingly, he ordered the grenadiers, and 
several companies of light infantry, to hold them- 
selves in readiness to march out of the city, at the 
first signal ; adding, that it was in order to pass re- 
view, and execute different manoeuvres and military 
evolutions. The Bostonians entertained suspicions, 
and sent to warn Adams and Hancock to be upon 
their guard. The committe of public safety gave 
directions, that the arms and ammunition should be 
distributed about in different places. 

13. Meanwhile, General Gage, to proceed with 
more secrecy, commanded a certain number of offi- 
cers, who had been made acquainted with his de- 
signs, to go, as if on a party of pleasure, and dine at 
Cambridge, which is situated very near Boston, and 
upon the road to Concord. It was on the 18th of 
April, in the evening, that these officers dispersed 
themselves here and there upon the road, and pas- 
sages, to intercept the couriers that might have been 
despatched to give notice of the movement of the 
troops. 

14. The governor gave orders that no person should 
be allowed to leave the city : nevertheless, Dr. War- 
ren, one of the most active patriots, had timely inti- 
mation of the scheme, and immediately despatched 
confidential messengers ; some of whom found the 



READING LESSONS. 365 

roads interdicted by the officers that guarded them ; 
but others made their ways, unperceived, to Lexing- 
ton, a town upon the road leading to Concord. 

15. The intelligence was soon divulged ; the people 
flocked together ; the bells, in all parts, were rung, to 
give the alarm ; the continual firing of cannon spread 
the agitation through all the neighbouring country. 
In the midst of this tumultuous scene, at eleven in 
the evening, a strong detachment of grenadiers, and 
of light infantry, was embarked at Boston, and land- 
ed at a place called Phipp's Farm, — now, Lechmere's 
Point — whence they marched towards Concord. In 
this state of things, the irritation. had become so in- 
tense, that a spark only was wanting, to produce an 
explosion ; as the event soon proved. 



LESSON IX. 

THE SAME (CONCLUDED). 

Van'guard, n., the troops who march in front of an army ; the first 
line. 

Militia (me-lish'a), n., the body of soldiers in a State enrolled for 
discipline, but not engaged in actual service except in emergen- 
cies. From miles, L., a soldier. 

Detach 'ment, n., a body of troops, selected or taken from the main 
army, and employed on some special service or expedition. From 
F. detacher, to detach. 

Provin'cials (-shals), n., the Americans who supported the cause of 
their country in the war of the Revolution, the English colonies 
being at that time provinces of Great Britain. 

Artil'lery, n., cannon, great guns, mortars, cfec, and the men who 
manage them. F. artillerie. I. artiglieria. S. artilleria. 

Expedition (eks-pe-dish'un), n., any enterprise, undertaking, or at- 
tempt by a number of persons. L. expeditio. 

In'fantry, n., soldiers or troops that serve on foot. F. infanterie. 
S. infanteria. 

Skir'mish, n., a slight fight in war ; a light combat between detach- 
ments and small parties. F. escarmouche. I. scaramaccia. 

31* 



866 THIRD BOOK OF 

Marine' (-reen), n., a soldier that serves on board of a ship, and fights 
in naval engagements. F. From marinus, L. 

Ammunition, n., powder, balls, bombs, <fec. L. ad and munitio, from 
munio, to fortify. 

Roy'alist, n., an adherent to a king, or one attached to a kingly gov- 
ernment. From F. royal, from L. regalis, from rex, king, kingly. 

1. The troops were under the command of Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel Smith, and Major Pitcairn, who led 
the vanguard. The militia of Lexington, as the in- 
telligence of the movement of this detachment was 
uncertain, had separated in the course of the night. 
Finally, at five in the morning of the 19th, advice 
was received of the near approach of the royal troops. 

2. The provincials that happened to be near, as- 
sembled, to the number of about seventy, certainly 
too few to have had an intention to engage in com- 
bat. The English appeared, and Major Pitcairn 
cried in a loud voice, " Disperse, rebels ! lay down 
your arms, and disperse !" The provincials did not 
obey; upon which he sprung from the ranks, dis- 
charged a pistol, and, brandishing his sword, ordered 
his soldiers to fire. The provincials retreated ; the 
English continuing their fire, the former faced about 
to return it. 

3. Meanwhile, Hancock and Adams retired from 
danger; and it is related, that, while on the march, 
the latter, enraptured with joy, exclaimed, " Oh ! 
what an ever-glorious morning is this !" considering 
this first effusion of blood as the prelude of events, 
which must secure the happiness of his country. 

4. The soldiers advanced towards Concord. The 
inhabitants assembled, and appeared disposed to act 
upon the defensive ; but, seeing the numbers of the 
enemy, they fell back, and posted themselves on the 
bridge, north of the town, intending to wait for re- 



BEADING LESSONS. 367 

inforcements from the neighbouring places ; but the 
light infantry assailed them with fury, routed them, 
and occupied the bridge, whilst the others entered 
Concord, and proceeded to the execution of their 
orders. 

5. They spiked two pieces of twenty-four pound 
cannon, destroyed their carriages, and a number of 
wheels for the use of the artillery ; threw into the 
river and into wells five hundred pounds of bullets ; 
and wasted a quantity of flour, deposited there by 
the provincials. These were the arms and provisions 
which gave the first occasion to a long and cruel 
war! 

6. But the expedition was not yet terminated : the 
minute-men arrived, and the forces of the provincials 
were increased by continual accessions from every 
quarter. The light infantry, who scoured the coun- 
try above Concord, were obliged to retreat, and, on 
entering the town, a hot skirmish ensued. A great 
number were killed on both sides. 

7. The light infantry having joined the main body 
of the detachment, the English retreated precipitately 
towards Lexington. Already the whole country had 
risen in arms, and the militia from all parts flew to 
the succour of their friends. Before the British de- 
tachment had arrived at Lexington, its rear guards 
and flanks suffered great annoyance from the provin- 
cials, who, posted behind the trees, walls, and fre- 
quent hedges, kept up a brisk fire, which the enemy 
could not return. The soldiers of the king found 
themselves in a most perilous situation. 

8. General Gage, apprehensive of the event, had 
despatched, in haste, under the command of Lord 
Percy, a reinforcement of sixteen companies, with 



368 THIRD BOOK OF 

some marines, and two field pieces. This corps 
arrived very opportunely at Lexington, at the mo- 
ment when the royal troops entered the town from 
the other side, pursued with fury by the provincial 
militia. 

9. It appears highly probable, that, without this 
reinforcement, they would have been all cut to 
pieces, or made prisoners : their strength was ex- 
hausted, as well as their ammunition. After making 
a considerable halt at Lexington, they renewed their 
march towards Boston, the number of the provincials 
increasing every moment, although the rear guard of 
the English was less molested, on account of the two 
field pieces, which repressed the impetuosity of the 
Americans. But the flanks of the column remained 
exposed to a very destructive fire, which assailed 
them from all the points that were adapted to serve 
as coverts. 

10. The royalists were also annoyed by the heat, 
which was excessive, and by a violent wind, which 
blew a thick dust in their eyes. The enemy's scouts, 
adding to their natural celerity a perfect knowledge 
of the country, came up unexpectedly through cross- 
roads, and galled the English severely, taking aim 
especially at the officers, who, perceiving it, kept 
much on their guard. 

11. Finally, after a march of incredible fatigue, 
and a considerable loss of men, the English, over- 
whelmed with lassitude, arrived at sunset in Charles- 
town. Independently of the combat they had sus- 
tained, the ground they had measured that day was 
above five and thirty miles. The day following they 
crossed over to Boston. 

12. Such was the affair of Lexington, the first ac- 



READING LESSONS. 369 

tion which opened the civil war. The English sol- 
diers, and especially their officers, were filled with 
indignation at the fortune of the day : they could 
not endure, that an undisciplined multitude,— that a 
flock of Yankees, as they contemptuously named the 
Americans,— should not only have maintained their 
ground against them, but even forced them to show 
their backs, and take refuge behind the walls of a 
city. 

13. The provincials, on the contrary, felt their 
courage immeasurably increased, since they had ob- 
tained a proof, that these famous troops were not in- 
vincible ; and had made so fortunate an essay of the 
goodness of their arms. 

Botta. 



LESSON X. 

ADDRESS OF THE ROMAN CATHOLICS TO GEORGE 
WASHINGTON. 

Confidence, n., an assurance of mind, or a firm belief in the integrity 

of another. L. confidentia. 
Unanim'ity, n., agreement of a number of persons in opinion or de- 
termination. F. unanimite. L. unus, one, and animus, mind. 
Pecu'liar, a., particular ; special. L. peculiaris. 
Vig'ilance (g soft), n., watchfulness ; circumspection. F., from L. 

vigil ans. 
Agricui/ture, n., the cultivation of the ground for the purpose of 

raising corn and other field crops for the use of man and beast. 

L. ager, a field, and cultura, cultivation. 
Com'merce, w., mutual change of goods, wares, <fcc, between nations 

or individuals. F. L. commercium. 
Instrument, n., that which is subservient to the execution of a plan 

or purpose, or the production of any effect. F., from instrumen- 

iwn, L. 
Acspi'cious, a., favourable ; kind; propitious. From auspichtm. L. 
Persua'sive, a., having the power of persuading ; influencing the mind. 

Sm : — "We have been long impatient to testify our 
joy and unbounded confidence, on your being called 



370 THIRD BOOK OF 

by a unanimous vote, to the first station of a country, 
in which that unanimity could not have been ob- 
tained, without the previous merit of unexampled ser- 
vices, of eminent wisdom, and unblemished virtue. 
Our congratulations have not reached you sooner 
because our scattered situation prevented the com- 
munication and the collecting of those sentiments 
which animated every breast. But the delay has 
furnished us with the opportunity, not purely of pre- 
saging the happiness to be expected under your ad- 
ministration, but of bearing testimony to that which 
we experience already. It is your peculiar talent, 
in war and in peace, to afford security to those who 
commit their , protection into your hands. In war, 
you shield them from the ravages of armed hostility : 
in peace, you establish public tranquillity by the 
justice and moderation not less than by the vigour 
of your government. By example as well as by 
vigilance, you extend the influence of laws on the 
manners of our fellow-citizens. You encourage re- 
spect for religion, and inculcate by words and ac- 
tions, that principle on which the welfare of nations 
so much depends, that a superintending Providence 
governs the events of the world, and watches over 
the conduct of men. Your exalted maxims and un- 
wearied attention to the moral and physical improve- 
ment of our country, have produced already the hap- 
piest effects. Under your administration America 
is animated with zeal for the attainment and encour- 
agement of useful literature : she improves her agri- 
culture, extends her commerce, and acquires with 
foreign nations a dignity unknown to her before. 
From these happy events, in which none can feel a 
warmer interest than ourselves, we derive additional 
pleasure in recollecting that you, sir, have been the 



HEADING LESSONS. 371 

principal instrument to effect so rapid a change in 
our political situation. This prospect of national 
prosperity is peculiarly pleasing to us on another ac- 
count, because whilst our country preserves her free- 
dom and independence, we shall have a well-founded 
title to claim from her justice equal rights of citizen- 
ship, as well .the price of our blood spilt under your 
eyes, and of our common exertions for her defence, 
under your auspicious conduct ; rights rendered more 
dear to us, by the remembrance of former hardships. 
When we pray for the preservation of them, where 
they have been granted, and expect the full extension 
of them from the justice of those states which still 
restrict them ; when we solicit the protection of Heav- 
en over our common country, wo neither omit, nor 
can omit, recommending your preservation to the 
singular care of Divine Providence ; because we con- 
ceive that no human means are so available to pro- 
mote the welfare of the United States, as the prolon- 
gation of your health and life, in which are included 
the energy of your example, the wisdom of your 
counsels, and the persuasive eloquence of your virtues. 



LESSON XI. 

THE ANSWER TO THE ROMAN CATHOLICS IN THE 
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 

Congratulation, n., profession of joy for the happiness or success of 

another. From L. congratulator. 
Apol'ogy, n., defence ; excuse. G. apologia. 
Opportunity, n., fit time ; a time favourable for the purpose. L. op- 

portunitas. 
Anticipate, v., to have a previous view or impression of something 

future. L. anticipo, of ante, before, and capio, to take. 
Enhance', v., to raise ; to advance ; to heighten. Norm, enhauncer. 



372 THIRD BOOK OP 

Denomination, n., pertaining to a number of individuals called by 

the same name. From L. denomino, 
Per'manent, a., durable ; lasting. L. permanens, permaneo — per, and 

manco, to remain. 
Patriotic, a., actuated by the love of one's country. From F. pa- 

trlote, from L. patria, one's native country, from pater, father. 
Impor'tant, a., momentous ; of great consequence. F. 
An'imate, v., to give spirit or vigour ; to stimulate. L. animo. 

1. Gentlemen, — While I now receive with much sat- 
isfaction your congratulations on my being called, by 
an unanimous vote, to the first station in my country, 
— I cannot but duly notice your politeness in offering 
an apology for the unavoidable delay. As that de- 
lay has given you an opportunity of realizing, instead 
of anticipating the benefits of the general govern- 
ment, you will do me the justice to believe that your 
testimony of the increase of the public prosperity, 
enhances the pleasure which I should otherwise have 
experienced from your affectionate address. 

2. I feel that my conduct in war and in peace, has 
met with more general approbation than could rea- 
sonably have been expected ; and I find myself dis- 
posed to consider that fortunate circumstance in a 
great degree resulting from the able support and ex- 
traordinary candour of my fellow-citizens of all de- 
nominations. 

3. The prospect of national prosperity now before 
us is truly animating, and ought to excite the exer- 
tions of all good men to establish and secure the 
happiness of their country, in the permanent dura- 
tion of its freedom and independence. America, 
under the smiles of a Divine Providence, the protec- 
tion of a good government, and the cultivation of 
manners, morals, and piety, cannot fail of attaining 
an uncommon degree of eminence, in literature, com- 
merce, agriculture, improvements at home, and re- 
spectability abroad. 



READING LESSONS. 373 

4. As mankind become more liberal they will be 
more apt to allow, that all those who conduct them- 
selves as worthy members of the community are 
equally entitled to the protection of civil government. 
I hope ever to see America among the foremost na- 
tions in examples of justice and liberality. And I 
presume that your fellbw-citizens will not forget the 
patriotic part which you took in the accomplishment 
of their revolution, and the establishment of their 
government ; or, the important assistance which they 
received from a nation in w r hich the Eoman Catholic 
faith is professed. 

5. I thank you, gentlemen, for your kind concern 
for me. While my life and my health shall continue, 
in whatever situation I may be, it shall be my con- 
stant endeavour to justify the favourable sentiments 
which you are pleased to express of my conduct. 
And may the members of your society in America, 
animated alone by the pure spirit of Christianity, 
and still conducting themselves as the faithful sub- 
jects of our free government, enjoy every temporal 
and spiritual felicity. 

G. Washington. 



LESSON XII. 

EXTRACTS FROM ARCHBISHOP CARROLL^ EULOGIUM ON 
GENERAL WASHINGTON. 

Eulo'gium, n. y praise ; encomium ; panegyric. G. eulogia. 
Superintend', v., to have or exercise the charge and oversight of. 

L. super, over, <fcc., and intendo, to stretch, <fcc. 
Control', v., to check ; to restrain ; to govern. From F. controUc, a 

counter register. 
Robustness, n., strength ; vigour. From L. robustus, from robur, 

strength. 

32 



374: THIRD BOOK OF 

Preg'nant, a., teeming ; full of consequence. L. prcegnans. 

Util'ity, n.j usefulness. F. utilite. L. utilitas. 

Can'opy, n., a covering over the head. G. konopeion. 

Tom'ahawk, n., an Indian hatchet. 

Shud'der, v., to quake ; to tremble, or shake with fear, horror, or 

aversion. Ger. schaudern. 
Contiguous, a., touching ; meeting or joining at the surface or border. 

L. contiguus. 

1. To superintend the movements and operations 
of such a revolution ; to control during its progress, 
jealousies, enmities, suspicions, and other conflicting 
passions ; and from their collision, to educe national 
and individual prosperity, peace, order, liberty, and 
regular government, required the discernment and 
masterly contrivance of that Supreme Director and 
Artist, who unites together the links, and holds in 
his hands the chain of all human events. Contem- 
plating, as much as is allowed to feeble mortals, his 
divine agency in preparing the means and conduct- 
ing the progress of the American revolution, we may 
presume to say, that heaven impressed a character 
on the life of Washington, and a temper on his soul, 
which eminently qualified him to bear the most con- 
spicuous part, and be its principal instrument in ac- 
complishing this stupendous work. 

2. We trace as far back as to his early youth the 
evidences of this Providential interposition. Born in 
times and circumstances unfavourable to the spirit 
and exertions of bold enterprise, he however soon 
devoted himself to useful and active exercises. He 
disdained the inglorious ease and ignoble pursuits, 
which fettered or perverted the talents of his young 
countrymen, inactive, not through choice, but want- 
ing objects and encouragement. To deliver Wash- 
ington from the danger of contracting similar habits, 
he was inspired to embrace the hardy discipline of 
difficult and perilous labours, which added vigour to 



READING LESSONS. 375 

his constitution, and a robustness to his nerves, that 
never after shrunk from danger. Following the in- 
stinct of his towering genius, he had not reached the 
years of manhood, when he was engaged in enter- 
prises pregnant with terror, and presenting to his 
view objects of a most formidable aspect. He did 
not, however, enter on them with thoughtless temer- 
ity. At that early period he began, what he persist- 
ed in through life, to associate motives of public util- 
ity with magnanimous undertakings. The usual 
occupations of his young countrymen were not suffi- 
cient employment for his active mind ; he therefore 
turned his views towards that vast western region, 
now so familiar to our ears and acquaintance, but 
then known only by the terrors it inspired, and the 
cruelties practised by the savage Indians, lurking in 
its forests and recesses. He left the endearments of 
society, to explore the courses of rivers, to traverse 
plains and mountains far beyond the then inhabited 
frontiers ; hoping to discover sources, whence future 
opulence might flow to his country, — to examine the 
productions, and estimate the fertility of immense 
tracts, capable of rewarding the industry of thou- 
sands, pining in want and oppression in foreign 
lands ; whose descendants might people the wilder- 
ness, beautify it by cultivation, and multiply the 
resources of his native province. In these achieve- 
ments, the heroic youth was to inure himself to hun- 
ger and thirst, to lie on the damp earth without any 
covering but the spreading branches of the oak and 
the canopy of the heavens ; to accustom himself to 
the vicissitudes of the seasons, the parching heat and 
chilling frost ; to herd with the beasts of the forest ; 
to, be exposed to the tomahawk and scalping-knife ; 
to be surrounded by difficulties, yet never to be dis- 



376 THIRD BOOK OF 

heartened ; to meet at every step the image of death, 
without ever being appalled, or admitting a momen- 
tary sentiment of despair. 

3. Imagine not, my fellow-citizens, that this is an 
ideal and fanciful representation of Washington's 
youthful years. No ! it is faintly but truly copied 
from real scenes of his life. Who, on the wing of 
imagination, has followed him, clambering over the 
lofty western mountains, fording unfathomed and 
rapid rivers, exposing his invaluable life to innumer- 
able accidents of treachery and hostility, without 
shuddering for his existence, and admiring his cool, 
collected courage, in conquering obstacles, and sur- 
mounting dangers ? Such was the training and ed- 
ucation by which Providence prepared him for the 
fulfilment of his future destinies. 

4. For him it was decreed, in the progression of 
his life, to defend, and ultimately to establish, by just 
and necessary warfare, the liberties of his country. 
Providence therefore permitted a train of occurrences 
to ensue, which served to furnish his mind with the 
first rudiments of military science, and discipline him 
to the vigilance and profession of a soldier. At that 
time, two powerful European nations held North 
America in their subjection ; their territories border- 
ed on each other, and each claimed rights disallowed 
by its rival power. . One of these, France, sent out 
a military force and her Indian allies, to occupy posts 
deemed to be within the territory of Virginia, and 
contiguous to the stations selected by Washington, as 
best adapted to the protection of his native land ; 
for his intrepidity and local knowledge had already 
placed him at the head of a small body of his coun- 
trymen, collected together to stop the progress of the 



READING LESSONS. 377 

invaders. With those he covered the inhabitants 
from hostile encroachment, he won the confidence 
of the savage Indian, and conducted a dangerous and 
intricate negotiation for a suspension of hostilities. 

5. But the durable preservation of peace depend- 
ed not on the counsels of America; England and 
France transported their enmity to her shores, and 
covered our country with hostile array. England, 
confident of her prowess and the discipline of her 
armies, would not commit the defence of her inter- 
ests to raw provincials. Washington's ardent soul 
suffered him not to remain behind in safety, while 
the security of his country was at stake. The hand 
of Providence led him forward, that he might add 
to his experience and native fortitude. He fought 
under Braddock ; and that ill-fated commander hav- 
ing paid by his death the tribute of his rashness — 
his army dispirited by defeat, and flying before an 
enemy flushed with victory — Washington, in that 
perilous moment, gathered round him his first com- 
panions in arms, and rescued out of the jaws of 
death the remains of the vanquished battalions. He 
did more ; he stood in the front of danger, and every- 
where opposing himself to the merciless savages, 
ready to burst as a dark cloud, fraught with the 
thunderbolts of heaven, on a terrified land, he avert- 
ed the storm, and restored to his trembling country 
the serenity of hope and peace. 

6. The theatre of war was transported afterwards 
to distant provinces of America. Then the same 
all-wise Providence, which had inured him to dan- 
ger, prepared him for the toils of government, and 
the important duty of superintending in his riper 
years, the political administration of a great and 

32* 



378 THIRD BOOK OF 

widely extended people. His services in the field 
had won the confidence of his fellow-citizens ; they 
committed to his vigilance and integrity their high- 
est interests in their legislative assembly. In this 
school he perfected himself in the knowledge of man- 
kind ; he observed the contentions of parties, the 
artifices and conflicts of human passions ; he saw the 
necessity of curbing them by salutary restraints, he 
studied the complicated science of legislation, he 
learned to venerate the sanctity of laws, to esteem 
them as the palladium of civil society, and deeply 
imbibed this maxim, so important for the soldier and 
the statesman, and which he ever after made the rule 
of his conduct, that the armed defenders of their 
country would broak up the foundations of social or- 
der and happiness, if they availed themselves of the 
turbulence of war, to violate the rights of private 
property and personal liberty. 



LESSON XIII. 

EXTRACTS FROM ARCHBISHOP CARROLL 5 S EULOGIUM ON 
GENERAL WASHINGTON (CONCLUDED). 

Recapitulate, v., to repeat again the sum of a former discourse. F. 

recapituler. I. racoapitolare. L. re and capilulum. 
Incompatible, «., inconsistent ; that cannot subsist with something 

else. F., from L. in and competo. 
Crit'ical, «., important as regards the consequences. L. criticus. 
Convulsive, a., that produces convulsion. From L. convuhio. 
Explo'sion, n., a bursting with noise. From L. explodo ; ex and 

plaudo, to utter a burst of sound. 
Pres'age, ?i., something which foreshows a future event. F., from 

L. prcesagium. 
Retaliation, n., the return of like for like. From Low L. retalio ; 

re and talio, from talis, like. 
Conciliating, «., winning ; having the quality of gaining favour. 

From L. concilio. 
Ab'dicate, v., to relinquish ; to renounce ; to abandon. L. abdico. 
Insig'nia, n. t badges or distinguishing marks of office or honour. 



READING LESSONS. 379 

1. I need not recapitulate the origin of the discon- 
tents between Great Britain and her American de- 
pendencies. Suffice it to say, that America received 
the claims of the parent country as incompatible 
with her freedom and happiness. The great soul of 
Washington revolted at the idea of national degrada- 
tion ; but tempering his ardour with deliberate wis- 
dom, he associated with other sages of his country, 
to meditate on her new and critical situation. 

2. Here let us pause, fellow-citizens, to contem- 
plate this exalted man revolving in his breast the 
natural and social rights of human kind : comparing 
those with actual and impending grievances, and 
with the obligations of an allegiance due to a long 
established government. Had lawless ambition 
reigned in his breast, he would have decided the 
public voice for immediate hostility. But in this 
point also, Providence destined him to leave a mem- 
orable and salutary example. He was not dazzled 
by the prospect of being elevated to the chief com- 
mand of the military force of America. In his opin- 
ion, nothing could justify a recurrence to the sword, 
and a revolt from established authority, but extreme 
necessity. All reasonable means of redress should 
be tried, before a good citizen will dissolve the fabric 
of government, and expose a people to the convul- 
sive shocks of a revolution, the explosions of which 

\ no considerate man can promise himself to regulate, 
or foresee their termination. 

3. Washington and his colleagues obeying at the 
same time the dictates of patriotism and the duty of 
allegiance, represented their wrongs to their sovereign 

, and claimed their rights. On the event of their re- 
monstrance, depended the redress of their griev- 



( 



380 THIRD BOOK OF 

ances ; or, if no redress followed, their justification 
for standing on their defence. Britain would not re- 
lent, and all that remained to America was submis- 
sion or resistance. The election w T as soon made : 
every one prepared himself for the awful contest, and 
all eyes and hopes were turned towards Washington. 
With universal approbation he was summoned to 
place himself in the front of danger, and assume su- 
preme military command. The possession of such a 
citizen at a moment so critical, was an invaluable 
treasure, and an animating presage of the favourable 
issue of the great contest. 

4. But far other thoughts absorbed his attention. 
Modest, as he was eminent in valour and wisdom, 
he contemplated with mingled emotions of self-diffi- 
dence and generous resolution, the important stake 
placed in his hands ; the subjection or independence : 
the vassalage or freedom of an immense territory, 
destined to be the habitation of countless millions. 
When, therefore, in obedience to the voice of his 
country, he placed himself at the head of her army, 
the expressions of his dependance on Providence 
should never be forgotten. Claiming no personal 
merit, apprehensive of injuring the public interest 
through some misconduct ; yet trusting to the justice 
of his cause, and conscious of the purity of his mo- 
tives, he called upon his fellow-citizens to remember 
that he depended for success, not on his own military 
skill, but on the God of battles to whom he made his 
solemn appeal. 

5. Washington, now at the period of his highest 
elevation, drew on him the attention, not only of this jef 
western continent, but of every European nation. U 
O fellow-citizens ! what days and years of anxious k 



READING LESSONS. 381 

disquietude revolved over us, whilst we gazed on 
this splendid luminary, uncertain whether it would 
shed on its country the effulgence of victory and 
peace, crowned by liberty ; or whether its bright- 
ness would be shadowed by the clouds of disaster 
and defeat. 

6. Here language fails : I dare not, I cannot follow 
the heroic Washington in the career of his military 
glory. To baffle the stratagems of the ablest gener- 
als, to repel the onset of the bravest and best disci- 
plined armies, what had America to place in his 
hands ? — neither soldiers trained to arms, nor accus- 
tomed to subordination ; nor the implements of war, 
nor the treasures to purchase them. But the genius 
of the commander finally supplied every deficiency. 
He introduced order and discipline: inspired love 
and confidence. Always vigilant to foil hostile at- 
tempts, he exhausted the resources of the enemy, 
without suffering them to force him to action. Ten- 
der of the blood of his fellow-soldiers, and never ex- 

- 

posing their lives without cause, or prospect of ad- 
vantage, humanity w r as as dear to him as victory ; as 
his enemies, that fell into his power, always experi- 
' enced. When a decree of retaliation became neces- 
j sary to restrain their licentious excesses, with what 
delicacy, without the least abatement of fortitude, did 
! he save the life of the victim, devoted to atone for 
' the cruelty that had been committed on an American 
officer ! — not however, till he had compelled the op- 
posing general to restrain and disavow outrages, that 
a^o-ravate so much the necessary evils of war. How 
sacred w^as his respect to the civil authority ! how 
[ effectual his protection of the property of his fellow- 
citizens ! When the generous feeling of the virtuous 
and beneficent Louis, whose deplorable fate should 



882 THIRD BOOK OF 

draw tears of blood from every American heart, sent 
out his nobles and legions, to combat by his side, the 
dignity of his manners and his unassuming merit 
won their entire confidence : his integrity and con- 
ciliating spirit united, as a band of brothers, nations 
before unknown to each other, and totally different 
in manners, habits, and religion. Their union, of 
which he was the soul, was a new omen of victory, 
and gained for America the prize for which she bled 
and contended : honourable peace and independence. 

7. What but unfading laurels remained now for 
"Washington, after satisfying his honest ambition, and 
steering the vessel of the American Republic through 
so many storms, into the safe harbour of liberty and 
tranquillity ? It remained for him to leave this im- 
portant lesson to the chief of armies, vested with 
great commands ; that magnanimity and true glory 
consist in laying their swords at their country's feet, 
when the object is attained, for which alone it was 
permitted to draw them. It remained for him, after 
abdicating public employments, to exhibit in the 
shade of retirement those private virtues which are 
the true foundations of national prosperity. Dutiful 
to this moral principle, Washington, before he left 
his army, stipulated for no personal reward, and even 
refused all that could be offered ; unmindful of him- 
self, he was only solicitous to obtain for his faithful 
legions a generous and liberal acknowledgment of 
their constancy and valour. This being effected, as 
far as it depended on him, he resigned the insignia 
of his command to those from whom he had received 
it, and resumed the rank of a private citizen, carrying 
with him into his domestic retreat, the esteem, re- 
spect, and veneration of an admiring world. 



READING LESSONS. 383 



LESSON XIV. 

CONDUCT OF LA FAYETTE IN THE AMERICAN REVOLU- 
TION. 

Revolution, w., change in the state of a government or country. It 
is used in America for the change produced by the War of Inde- 
pendence. L. revolutus. 

Confederation, n n league ; alliance, F. L. fcedus. 

Cham'pion, n., one who undertakes a cause in single combat. F. 

Legendary (led'j en-da-re), a., fabulous, romantic. From L. legenda. 

Chiv'alry (c like s), n., knighthood. F. chevalerie. 

Tour'nament, n., military sport ; mock encounter. Low L. tourna- 
mentum. 

Vis'or (viz'ur), n., a moveable and perforated part in the front of a 
helmet, placed above the beaver, to protect the upper part of the 
face. L. visus. 

Romance', n., a fiction. F. r&man. L romanzo. 

Pageantry (pad'jun-tre), n., show ; pompous exhibition or spectacle. 
From pegma, L. and G-. 

Vet'eran, 7i., an old soldier ; a man long practised in anything. L. 
veteranus. 

Elude', v n to escape ; to evade, L. eludo, c and ludo, to play. F. 
eluder. I. eludere. S. eludir. 

1. The war of American Independence is closed. 
The people of the North American confederation are 
in union, sovereign and independent. La Fayette, 
at twenty-five years of age, has lived the life of a 
patriarch, and illustrated the career of a hero. Had 
his days upon earth been then numbered, and had 
he then slept with his fathers, illustrious as for cen- 
turies their names had been, his name, to the end of 
time, would have transcended them all. 

2. Fortunate youth! fortunate beyond even the 
measure of his companions in arms with whom he 
had achieved the glorious consummation of American 
Independence. His fame was all his own ; not 
cheaply earned ; not ignobly won. His fellow-sol- 
diers had been the champions and defenders of their 
country. They reaped for themselves, for their wives, 



384 THIRD BOOK OF 

their children, their posterity to the latest time, the 
rewards of their dangers and their toils. La Fay- 
ette had watched, and laboured, and fought, and bled, 
not for himself, not for his family, not, in the first in- 
stance, even for his country. 

3. In the legendary tales of chivalry we read of 
tournaments at which a foreign and unknown knight 
suddenly presents himself, armed in complete steel, 
and, with the visor down, enters the ring to contend 
with the assembled flowers of knighthood for the 
prize of honour, to be awarded by the hand of beauty ; 
bears it in triumph away, and disappears from the 
astonished multitude of competitors and spectators of 
the feats of arms. 

4. But where in the rolls of history, where in the 
fictions of romance, where, but in the life of La Fay- 
ette, has been seen the noble stranger, flying, with 
the tribute of his name, his rank, his affluence, his 
ease, his domestic bliss, his treasure, his blood, to the 
relief of a suffering and distant land, in the hour of 
her deepest calamity — baring his bosom to her foes; 
and not at the transient pageantry of a tournament, 
but for a succession of five years sharing all the vi- 
cissitudes of her fortunes ; always eager to appear at 
the post of danger — tempering the glow of youthful 
ardour with the cold caution of a veteran command- 
er ; bold and daring in action ; prompt in execution ; 
rapid in pursuit ; fertile in expedients ; unattainable 
in retreat ; often exposed, but never surprised, never 
disconcerted ; eluding his enemy when within his 
fancied grasp ; bearing upon him with irresistible 
sway when of force to cope with him in the conflict 
of arms ? And what is this but the diary of La 
Fayette, from the day of his rallying the scattered 



READING LESSONS. 385 

fugitives of the Brandywine, insensible of the blood 
flowing from his wound, to the storming of the re- 
doubt at Yorktown ? 

J. Q. Adams. 



LESSON XV. 
ADDRESS to the survivors of the battle of bunker 

HILL, DELIVERED AT THE LAYING OF THE CORNER- 
STONE OF THE BUNKER-HILL MONUMENT. 

Height, n., hill or mountain ; any elevated ground. A.S. heahtho. 
Boun'teously, ad., liberally ; generously ; freely. From L. bonitas, 

from bonus, good. 
Bunk'er, n., the name of a hill in Charlestown, in the State of Mas- 
sachusetts, U.S.A., celebrated for the battle fought on it in the 

revolutionary war. 
Unut'terable, a., that cannot be uttered ; ineffable ; inexpressible. 
Ju'bilee, n., a season of great public joy and festivity. F. jubile. 

L. jubihmi, from jubila, to shout for joy. S.jubileo. I. giubbileo. 
Appropriately, ad, in a proper manner. From F. approprier, of L. 

ad, and proprius, peculiar. 
Annoy'ance, n., that which annoys or injures. From Norm, annoyer. 
Rem'nant, n., that which remains ; abbreviated from remanent. L. 

remanens. 
Sanguine (sang'-gwin), a., confident. F. sanguin. L. sanguineus, 

from sanguis, blood. 
Suc'cour, n. } aid ; help ; assistance. From L. succurro, sub and curro, 

to run. 

1. Venerable men ! you have come down to us 
from a former generation. Heaven has bounteously 
lengthened out your lives, that you might behold this 
joyous day. You are now where you stood, fifty 
years ago, this very hour, with your brothers, and 
your neighbours, shoulder to shoulder, in the strife 
for your country. Behold, how altered! The same 
heavens are indeed over your heads ; the same ocean 
rolls at your feet ; but all else how changed ! 

2. You hear now no roar of hostile camion, you 
see no mixed volumes of smoke and flame rising from 
burning Charlestown. The ground strewed with the 

33 



386 THIRD BOOK OF 

dead and the dying ; the impetuous charge ; the 
steady and successful repulse ; the loud call to re- 
peated assault ; the summoning of all that is manly 
to repeated resistance ; a thousand bosoms freely and 
fearlessly bared in an instant to whatever of terror 
there may be in war and death ; — all these you have 
witnessed, but you witness them no more. AH is peace. 

3. The heights of yonder metropolis, its towers and 
roofs, which you then saw filled with wives and chil- 
dren and countrymen in distress and terror, and 
looking with unutterable emotions for the issue of the 
combat, have presented you to-day with the sight of 
its whole happy population, come out to w T elcome 
and greet you w T ith a universal jubilee. Yonder 
proud ships, by a felicity of position appropriately 
lying at the foot of this mount, and seeming fondly 
to cling around it, are not means of annoyance to you, 
but .your country's own means of distinction and de- 
fence. All is peace ; and God has granted you this 
sight of your country's happiness, ere you slumber 
in the grave forever. He has allowed you to behold 
and to partake the reward of your patriotic toils ; and 
he has allowed us, your sons and countrymen, to 
meet you here, and in the name of the present gen- 
eration, in the name of your country, in the name of 
liberty, to thank you ! 

4. Veterans ! you are the remnant of many a well- 
fought field. You bring with you marks of honour 
from Trenton and Monmouth, from Yorktown, Cam- 
den, Bennington, and Saratoga. Yeterans of half a 
century ! when in your youthful days, you put every 
thing at hazard in your country's cause, good as that 
cause was, and sanguine as youth is, still your fond- 
est hopes did not stretch onward to an hour like this ! 



READING LESSONS. 387 

At a period to which you could not reasonably have 
expected to arrive ; at a moment of national pros- 
perity, such as you could never have foreseen, you 
are now met here, to enjoy the fellowship of old sol- 
diers, and to receive the overflowings of a universal 
gratitude. 

5. But your agitated countenances and your heav- 
ing breasts inform me that even this is not an un- 
mixed joy. I perceive that a tumult of contending 
feelings rushes upon you. The images of the dead, 
as well as the persons of the living, throng to your 
embraces. The scene overwhelms you, and I turn 
from it. May the Father of all mercies smile upon 
your declining years, and bless them ! And when you 
shall here have exchanged your embraces ; when you 
shall once more have pressed the hands which have 
been so often extended to give succour in adversity, 
or grasped in the exultation of victory ; then look 
abroad into this lovely land, which your young val- 
our defended, and mark the happiness with which it 
is filled ; yea, look abroad into the whole earth, and 
see what a name you have contributed to give to 
your country, and what a praise you have added to 
freedom, and then rejoice in the sympathy and grat- 
itude which beam upon your last days from the im- 
proved condition of mankind. 

Webster. 



LESSON XVI. 

CHARACTER OF NAPOLEON BONAPARTE. 

Prod'igy, n., anything astonishing for good or bad. F. prodige. I* 

prodigium. 
Sceptred (sep'-turd), «., bearing a sceptre. From F. sceptre; L. 

sceptrum, the ensign of royalty borne in the hand. 



388 THIRD BOOK OF 

Crite'rion, n., a mark by which anything is judged of with regard 

to its goodness or badness. G-. kriterion. 
Shrine, n., a case in which something sacred is reposited ; frequently 

used for altar. L. scrviium. A.S. serin. 
Promulgate, v., to publish ; to make known by open declaration. 

L. promulgo. 
Cres'cent, n., the moon in her state of increase ; the symbol of Ma- 
home tanism. L. crescens, from cresco, to grow. 
Parricidal, a., relating to parricide, or the murder of a father, or 

any one to whom reverence is due. L. parricida. 
Di'adem, n., the mark of royalty worn on the head ; the crown. L. 

and Gr. diadema. 
Ubiquity (yu-bik'-we-te), n., existence at the same time in all places. 

From L. ubique. 
Lev'ee, n., the concourse of those who crowd around a man of power 

in the morning. F. 

1. He is fallen ! We may now pause before that 
splendid prodigy, which towered amongst us like 
some ancient ruin, w r hose frown terrified the glance 
its magnificence attracted. Grand, gloomy, and 
peculiar, he sat upon the throne a sceptred hermit, 
wrapt in the solitude of his own originality. A mind 
bold, independent, and decisive — a will despotic in 
its dictates — an energy that distanced expedition, and 
a conscience pliable to every touch of interest, mark- 
ed the outline of this extraordinary character — the 
most extraordinary, perhaps, that in the annals of this 
world ever rose, or reigned, or fell. Flung into life, 
in the midst of a revolution that quickened every 
energy of a people who acknowledge no superior, he 
commenced his course a stranger by birth, and a 
scholar by charity ! With no friend but his sword, 
and no fortune but his talents, he rushed in the list 
where rank, and wealth, and genius had arrayed 
themselves, and competition fled from him as from 
the glance of destiny. 

2. He knew no motive but interest — he acknowl- 
edged no criterion but success — he worshipped no 
god but ambition, and with an eastern devotion he 



READING LESSONS. 389 

knelt at the shrine of his idolatry. Subsidiary to 
this, there was no creed that he did not profess, there 
was no opinion that he did not promulgate : in the 
hope of a dynasty, he upheld the crescent ; for the 
sake of a divorce, he bowed before the cross : the or- 
phan of St. Louis, he became the adopted child of the 
republic ; and with a parricidal ingratitude, on the 
ruins both of the throne and tribune, he reared the 
throne of his despotism. A professed Catholic, he 
imprisoned the pope ; a pretended patriot, he impov- 
erished the country ; and, in the name of Brutus, he 
grasped without remorse, and wore without shame, 
the diadem of the Csesars ! 

3. Through this pantomime of policy, fortune 
played the clown to his caprices. At his touch, 
crowns crumbled, beggars reigned, systems vanished, 
the wildest theories took the colour of his whim, and 
all that was venerable, and all that was novel, changed 
places with the rapidity of a drama. Even apparent 
defeat assumed the appearance of victory — his flight 
from Egypt confirmed his destiny — ruin itself only 
elevated him to empire. But if his fortune was great, 
his genius was transcendent ; decision flashed upon 
his councils ; and it was the same to decide and to 
perform. To inferior intellects his combinations ap- 
peared perfectly impossible, his plans perfectly im- 
practicable ; but, in his hands, simplicity marked 
their development, and success vindicated their adop- 
tion. His person partook the character of his mind 
— if the one never yielded in the cabinet, the other 
never bent in the field. Nature had no obstacle that 
he did not surmount— space no opposition that he 
did not spurn ; and whether amid Alpine rocks, Ara- 
bian sands, or Polar snows, he seemed proof against 
peril, and empowered with ubiquity ! 

oo'~ 



390 THIRD BOOK OF 

4. The whole continent trembled at beholding the 
audacity of his designs, and the miracle of their ex- 
ecution. Skepticism bowed to the prodigies of his 
performance ; romance assumed the air of history ; 
nor was there aught too incredible for belief, or too 
fanciful for expectation, when the world saw a sub- 
altern of Corsica waving his imperial flag over her 
most ancient capitals. All the visions of antiquity 
became commonplaces in his contemplation ; kings 
were his people — nations were his outposts ; and he 
disposed of courts, and crowns, and camps, and 
churches, and cabinets, as if they were titular digni- 
taries of the chess-board !— Amid all these changes, 
he stood immutable as adamant. 

5. It mattered little w T hether in the field or in the 
drawing-room — with the mob or the levee — wearing 
the Jacobin bonnet or the iron crown — banishing a 
Braganza, or espousing a Hapsburg — dictating peace 
on a raft to the Czar of Russia, or contemplating de- 
feat at the gallows of Leipsig — he was still the same 
military despot ! 

6. In this wonderful combination, his affectations 
of literature must not be omitted. The jailer of the 
press, he affected the patronage of letters — the pro- 
scriber of books, he encouraged philosophy — the per- 
secutor of authors and the murderer of printers, he 
yet pretended to be the protector of learning ! the 
assassin of Palm, the silencer of De Stael, and the 
denouncer of Kotzebue, he was the friend of David, 
the benefactor of De Lille, and sent his academic 
prize to the philosopher of England. 

7. Such a medley of contradictions, and at the 
same time such an individual consistency, were 
never united in the same character. — A royalist — 



BEADING LESSONS. 391 

a republican and an emperor — a Mohammedan — a 
Catholic and a patron of the synagogue — a subaltern 
and a sovereign — a traitor and a tyrant — a Christian 
and an infidel — he was, through all his vicissitudes, 
the same stern, impatient, inflexible original — the 
same mysterious, incomprehensible self — the man 
without a model, and without a shadow. 

Phillips. 



LESSON XVII. 

CHARACTER OF THE IRISH PEASANTRY. 

Cal'umnt, ti., slander ; false charge. L. calumnia. 

Peas'antry, ti., peasants ; country people. F.paisant, peasant. 

Repug'nant, a. y contrary ; opposite. F. L. repugnans. 

Sto'ic, a., cold ; austere ; affecting to hold all things indifferent. G. 

stoikos. 
Sub'tilty, ti., cunning ; artifice ; acuteness. F. subtilite. 
Id'iom, ti., phraseology. L. and G. idioma. 
Equivocation, ti., ambiguity of speech; double meaning; a quibble. 

Old F. equivoque. 
Hospital'ity, n., the practice of entertaining strangers. From L. 

hospitalis, hospitable. 
Obscu'rity, ti., unnoticed state. L. obscuritas. 
Innate', a., inborn ; natural ; inherent. L. innatus. 

1. The Irish people have been as little known, as 
they have been grossly defamed to the rest of Eu- 
rope. The lengths to which English writers have 
proceeded in pursuit of this object would surpass all 
belief, were not the facts proved by histories written 
under the immediate eye and sanction of Irish Gov- 
ernments, histories replete with falsehood, which, 
combined with the still more mischievous misrepre- 
sentations of modern writers, form all together a 
mass of the most cruel calumnies that ever weighed 
down the character of a meritorious people. 

2. This system, however, was not without its mean- 
ing. From the reign of Elizabeth, the policy of Eng- 



392 THIRD BOOK OP 

land has been to keep Ireland in a state of internal 
division, perfect unanimity among her inhabitants 
has been considered as likely to give her a popula- 
tion and a power incompatible with subjection ; and 
there are not wanting natives of Ireland, who, im- 
pressed with that erroneous idea, zealously plunge 
into the same doctrine, as if they could best prove 
their loyalty to the king by vilifying their country. 

3. The Irish peasantry, who necessarily composed 
the great body of the population, combined in their 
character many of those singular and repugnant 
qualities which peculiarly designate the people of 
different nations ; and this remarkable contrariety of 
characteristic traits pervaded almost the whole cur- 
rent of their natural dispositions. Laborious, domes- 
tic, accustomed to wants in the midst of plenty, they 
submit to hardships without repining, and bear the 
severest privations with stoic fortitude. The sharp- 
est wit, and the shrewdest subtilty, which abound in 
the character of the Irish peasant, generally lie con- 
cealed under the semblance of dulness, or the ap- 
pearance of simplicity ; and his language, replete 
with the keenest humour, possesses an idiom of 
equivocation, which never fails successfully to evade 
a direct answer to an unwelcome question. 

4. Inquisitive, artful, and penetrating, the Irish 
peasant learns mankind without extensive inter- 
course, and has an instinctive knowledge of the 
world, without mingling in its societies, and never, in 
any other instance, did there exist a people who could 
display so much address and so much talent in the 
ordinary transactions of life as the Irish peasantry. 

5. The Irish peasant has, at all periods, been pe- 
culiarly distinguished for unbounded, but indiscrimi- 



READING LESSONS. 393 

nate hospitality, which, though naturally devoted to 
the necessities of a friend, is never denied by him 
even to the distresses of an enemy. To be in want 
or misery, is the best recommendation to his disin- 
terested protection ; his food, his bed, his raiment, 
are equally the stranger's and his own ; and the 
deeper the distress, the more welcome is the sufferer 
to the peasant's cottage. 

6. His attachments to his kindred are of the 
strongest nature. The social duties are intimately 
blended with the natural disposition of an Irish peas- 
ant ; though covered with rags, oppressed with pov- 
erty, and perhaps with hunger, the finest specimens 
of generosity and heroism are to be found in his un- 
equalled character. 

7. An enthusiastic attachment to the place of their 
nativity, is another striking trait of the Irish charac- 
ter, which neither time nor absence, prosperity nor 
adversity, can obliterate or diminish. Wherever an 
Irish peasant was born, there he wishes to die ; and, 
however successful in acquiring wealth or rank in 
distant places, he returns with fond affection to re- 
new his intercourse with the friends and companions 
of his youth and his obscurity. 

8. An innate spirit of insubordination to the laws 
has been strongly charged upon the Irish peasantry ; 
but a people, to whom the punishment of crimes 
appears rather as a sacrifice to revenge than a mea- 
sure of prevention, can never have the same defer- 
ence to the law as those who are instructed in the 
principles of justice, and taught to recognise its 
equality. It has, however, been uniformly admitted 
by every impartial writer on the affairs of Ireland, 
that a spirit of strict justice has ever characterised 



394 THIRD BOOK OF 

the Irish- peasant. Convince him, by plain and 
impartial reasoning, that he is wrong, and he with- 
draws from the judgment-seat, if not with cheerful- 
ness, at least with submission ; but, to make him 
respect the laws, he must be satisfied that they are 
impartial ; and, with that conviction on his mind, 
the Irish peasant is as perfectly tractable as the na- 
tive of any other country in the world. 

9. An attachment to, and a respect for females, is 
another marked characteristic of the Irish peasant. 
The wife partakes of all her husband's vicissitudes : 
she shares his labor and his miseries, with constancy 
and with affection. At all the sports and meetings 
of the Irish peasantry, the women are always of the 
company ; they have a great influence, and, in his 
smoky cottage, the Irish peasant, surrounded by his 
family, seems to forget all his privations. The 
natural cheerfulness of his disposition banishes re- 
flection, and he experiences a simple happiness which 
even the highest ranks of society might justly envy. 

Sir Jonah Barrington. 



LESSON XVIII. 

THE FOUNDER OF MARYLAND. 

Controversy, n., dispute ; debate, commonly in writing. From L. 

controverto. 
Emol'ument, n., profit ; advantage. L. emolumentum. 
Conversion, m., change from one religion to another. L. conversio. 
Priv'y, a., admitted to secrets of state. F. prive. L privus. 
Peer'age, 7i., the rank or dignity of a peer or nobleman. From F. 

pair. 
Enthu'siasm, n., elevation of fancy ; exaltation of ideas. G. enthusi- 

asmos. 
Extol', v., to praise ; to magnify ; to laud ; to celebrate. L. extolh. 
Stat'ute, n., a law ; an edict of the legislature. F. statut. L. statutum. 
Char'ter, n., a writing bestowing privileges, or rights. L. charta. 



READING LESSONS. 395 

Pa'pist, n., a nickname given to one who acknowledges the spiritual 
supremacy of the Pope. F. papiste. L. papista, from papa, pope 
or father. 

1. It was the peculiar fortune of the United States 
that they were severally colonized by men, in origin, 
religious faith, and purposes, as various as the climes 
which are included within their limits. Before Vir- 
ginia could complete its settlements, and confirm its 
claims to jurisdiction over the country north of the 
Potomac, a new government was erected, on a foun- 
dation as extraordinary as its results were benevolent. 

2. Sir George Calvert had early become interested 
in colonial establishments in America. A native of 
Yorkshire, educated at Oxford, with a mind en- 
larged by extensive travel, on his entrance into life 
befriended by Sir Robert Cecil, advanced to the hon- 
ours of knighthood, and at length employed as one 
of the two secretaries of state, he not only secured 
the consideration of his patron and sovereign, but 
the good opinion of the world ; and his capacity for 
business, his industry, and his fidelity are acknowl- 
edged by all historians. 

3. In an age when religious controversy still con- 
tinued to be active, and when the increasing divis- 
ions among Protestants were spreading a general 
alarm, his mind sought relief from controversy in the 
bosom of the Roman Catholic Church; and preferring 
the avowal of his opinions to the emoluments of 
office, he resigned his place and openly professed his 
conversion. King James was never bitter against 
the Catholics who respected his pretensions as a 
monarch. Calvert retained his place in the privy 
council, and was admitted to the dignity of an Irish 
peerage, by the title of Baron Baltimore. 

4 He had, from early life, shared in the general 



396 THIRD BOOK OF 

enthusiasm of England in favour of American plan- 
tations ; he had been a member of the great com- 
pany for Yirginia ; and, while secretary of state, he 
had obtained a special patent for the southern prom- 
ontory of Newfoundland. But numerous difficulties 
prevented success in Newfoundland, and he looked 
to Virginia, of which the climate, the fertility, and 
the advantages were so much extolled. Yet, as a 
papist, he could hardly expect a hospitable welcome 
in a colony from which the careful exclusion of Ro- 
man Catholics had been originally avowed as a 
special object, and where the statutes of the provin- 
cial legislature, as well as the commands of the sov- 
ereign, aimed at a perpetual religious uniformity. 

5. But the country beyond the Potomac seemed 
to be as yet untenanted by any but the scattered 
hordes of the native tribes. The French, the Dutch, 
and the Swedes, were preparing to occupy the coun- 
try, and a grant seemed the readiest mode of se- 
curing the soil by an English settlement, and it was 
not difficult for Calvert — a man of such moderation 
that all parties were taken with him — sincere in his 
character, disengaged from all interests, and a fa- 
vourite with the royal family, to obtain a charter for 
domains in that happy clime. 

6. The fundamental charter of the colony of Mary- 
land, which, beyond all doubt, was penned by the 
first Lord Baltimore himself, was the sufficient frank 
pledge of the liberties of the colonist, not less than 
of the rights and interests of the proprietary; and 
while Christianity was made by it the law of the 
land, no preference was given to any sect, and 
equality in religious rights, not less than in civil 
freedom, was assured to all. 



HEADING LESSONS. 397 

7. Calvert deserves to be ranked among the most 
wise and benevolent lawgivers of all ages. He was 
the first in the history of the Christian world to seek 
for religious security and peace by the practice of 
justice, and not by the exercise of power ; to plan 
the establishment of popular institutions with the 
enjoyment of liberty of conscience ; to advance the 
career of civilisation by recognising . the rightful 
equality of all Christian sects. The asylum of pa- 
pists was the spot, where, in a remote corner of the 
world, on the banks of rivers which, as yet, had 
hardly been explored, the mild forbearance of a pro- 
prietary adopted religious freedom as the basis of 
the state. Bancroft. 



LESSON XIX. 

THE SETTLEMENT OF MARYLAND. 

Pat'ent, n., a writing, given by the proper authority and duly au- 
thenticated, granting a privilege to some person or persons. 

Em'igrant, «., one who removes from one country or place to anoth- 
er. From L. emigro, to emigrate. 

Lieutenant (lev-ten'-ant), n., a deputy, one who acts by vicarious 
authority. F. 

Pin'nace, n., a boat belonging to a ship of war ; a small sloop or bark 
attending a larger vessel. F. pinasse. 

Barge, n., a sea-commander's boat ; a pleasure boat. Old F. barje. 

Creek, n., a small inlet, bay, or cove ; a recess in the shore of the sea, 
or of a river. A.S. crecea. D. kreek. F. crique. Welsh, crigyll. 

Es'tuary, n., an arm of the sea ; the mouth of a lake or river in which 
the tide reciprocates ; a frith. L. cestuarium. 

Maize, n., the native corn of America, called Indian corn. 

Proprietary, n., a possessor in his own right. F. proprietaire. 

Intolerance, n., want of toleration ; want of patience and charity to 
bear the opinions of others. F. 

1. Before the patent could be finally adjusted and 
pass the great seal, Sir George Calvert died, leaving 
a name against which the breath of calumny has 
hardly whispered a reproach. His son, Cecil Cal- 
vert, succeeded to his honours and fortunes. For him, 

34 



398 THIRD BOOK OF 

the heir of his father's intentions, not less than of his 
father's fortunes, the charter of Maryland was pub- 
lished and confirmed ; and he obtained the high dis- 
tinction of successfully performing what the colonial 
companies had hardly been able to achieve. 

2. It was not long, before gentlemen of birth and 
quality resolved to adventure their lives and fortunes 
in the enterprise of planting a colony under so fa- 
vourable a charter. Lord Baltimore, who, for some 
unknown reason abandoned his purpose of conduct- 
ing the emigrants in person, appointed his brother to 
act as his lieutenant ; and, on Friday, the 22d of No- 
vember, with a small but favouring gale, Leonard 
Calvert and about two hundred people, most of them 
Roman Catholic gentlemen and their servants, in the 
Ark and the Dove, a ship of large burthen and a pin- 
nace, set sail for the northern bank of the Potomac. 
Having stayed by the way in Barbadoes and St. 
Christopher, it was not till February of the following 
year that they arrived at Point Comfort, in Virginia ; 
where, in obedience to the express letters of King 
Charles, they were welcomed by Harvey with cour- 
tesy and humanity. 

3. Leaving Point Comfort, Calvert sailed into the 
Potomac, and with the pinnace ascended the stream. 
A cross was planted on an island, and the country 
claimed for Christ and for England. At about forty- 
seven leagues above the mouth of the Potomac, he 
found the village of Piscataqua, an Indian settlement 
nearly opposite Mount Vernon. The chieftain of the 
tribe would neither bid them go nor stay ; " he might 
use his own discretion." It did not seem safe for the 
English to plant the first settlement so high up the 
river ; Calvert descended the stream, examining in 
his barge the creeks and estuaries near the Chesa- 



READING LESSONS. 399 

peake ; lie entered the river which is now called St. 
Mary's, and which he named St. George's ; and, 
about four leagues from its junction with the Poto- 
mac, he anchored at the Indian town of Yoacomoco. 
The native inhabitants, having suffered from the siv 
perior power of the Susquehannahs, who occupied 
the district between the bays, had already resolved to 
remove into the interior, and many of them had be- 
gun to emigrate before the English arrived. 

4. To Calvert, the spot seemed convenient for a 
plantation ; it was easy, by presents of cloth and axes, 
and of hoes and knives, to gain the good-will of the 
natives, and to purchase their right to the soil which 
they were preparing to abandon. They readily gave 
consent that the English should immediately occupy 
one half of their town, and, after the harvest, should 
become exclusive tenants of the whole. Mutual 
promises of friendship and peace were made; so that, 
upon the twenty-seventh clay of March, the Catholics 
took quiet possession of the little place, and religious 
liberty obtained a home — its only home in the wi 
world — at the humble village which bore the name 
of St, Mary's. 

5. Three days after the landing of Calvert, the Ark 
and the Dove anchored in the harbour. Sir John 
Harvey soon arrived on a visit; the native chiefs, 
also, came to welcome or to watch the emigrants, 
and were so well received that they resolved to give 
perpetuity to their league of amity with the English. 
The Indian women taught the wives of the new- 
comers to make bread of maize ; the warriors of the 
tribe instructed the huntsmen how rich were the for- 
ests of America in game, and joined them in the 
chase. And, as the season of the year invited to the 
pursuits of agriculture, and the English had come 



400 THIRD BOOK OF 

into ground already subdued, they were able at once 
to possess corn-fields and gardens, and prepare the 
wealth of successful husbandry. Virginia, from its 
surplus produce, could furnish a temporary supply of 
food, and all kinds of domestic cattle. No sufferings 
were endured ; no fears of want were excited ; the foun- 
dation of the colony of Maryland was peacefully and 
happily laid ; and, within six months, it had advanced 
more than Virginia had done in as many years. 

6. The proprietary continued, with great liberality, 
to provide everything that was necessary for its com- 
fort and protection, and spared no cost to promote its 
interests ; expending in the first two years, upwards 
of forty thousand pounds sterling. But far more 
memorable was the character of the Maryland insti- 
tutions. Every other country in the world had per- 
secuting laws ; " I will not" — such was the oath for 
the governor of Maryland — " I will not, by myself 
or any other, directly or indirectly, molest any per- 
son professing to believe in Jesus Christ, for or in 
respect of religion." Under the mild institutions and 
munificence of Baltimore, the dreary wilderness soon 
bloomed with the swarming life and activity of pros- 
perous settlements ; the Roman Catholics, who were 
oppressed by the laws of England, were sure to find 
a peaceful asylum in the quiet harbours of the Ches- 
apeake ; and there, too, Protestants were sheltered 
against Protestant intolerance. 

7. Such were the beautiful auspices under which 
the province of Maryland started into being; its pros- 
perity and its peace seemed assured ; the interests of 
its people and its proprietary were united ; and, for 
some years, its internal peace and harmony were un- 
disturbed. Its history is the history of Benevolence, 
Gratitude, and Toleration. Bancroft. 



READING LESSONS 



401 



PREFIXES AND AFFIXES. 



SAXON AND ENGLISH PREFIXES. 



A 

Be 

En 



r ore 

Mis, un 

Out, over 

Up 

With 

Counter 

For 



signifies on or in ; 

about, before 

in, on, making 



as, afoot, abed, &c. 

... besprinkle, oespeak, &c. 

... enroll, encounter, enable, ifcc. 



(En is often changed into em ; as, embark, empower, <fec.) 

before ...foretell, forewarn, <fcc. 

negation ... misinform, nndo, &c. 

excess ... on^strip, overload, <fcc. 

motion upwards ... npstart, upset, &c. 

from, or against ... withdraw, withstand, <fcc. 

contrary ... counteract, counterbalance. 

not ... /orbid,/orget. 



LATIN PREFIXES. 



as, arise, aojure, abstract. 
... adore. 



A, ab, abs, signify from, away ; 
Ad signifies to 

(Ad, in composition with words commencing with a consonant, fre- 
quently changes the d into the commencing letter of the word with 
which it is joined, viz., ascend, accuse, affix, aggravate, ally, annul, 
apply, arraign, assist, attain.) 



Am, or amb 

Ambo 

Ante 

Circum 

Cis 

Con 



about ... a?n6ient, an?oition. 

both ... amoidextrous. 

before ... antecedent, anticipate. 

around ... eirctwispect, circuit, 

on this side ... cisalpine. 

together ... convene, contain. 



(This prefix varies in composition as well as ad. As a general rule, 
nearly all the prefixes are subject to some variation iu composition.) 



Contra 
De 

Dis, di 
E, ex 
Extra 



against 
down, of from 
asunder 
out of 
beyond 



In (before an adj.) not 
In (before a verb) in, into 



Inter 

Intro 

Juxta 

Ob 

Per 

Post 

Prae 

Prsetei 

Pro 

Re 

Retro 



between 

within 

nigh 

in the way of 



contradict. 
. depress, deject. 
,. distract, disarm, diffuse. 
,. egress, eject, exclude. 
,. extravagant, extraordinary. 
,. inactive, infirm. 
.. inject, infuse. 
.. interrupt, intercede. 
.. introduce. 
.juxtaposition. 
. obstacle, oostruct, oppose. 



through/horoughly permit, perforate, peAnokL 



■ after 

before 

beyond 
for, forward 

back, again 
< backward 



postpone. 

prefix, predict, 

preternatural, prett rite. 
pronoun, proceed, 
retract, regain, renovate, 
retrograde, retrospect 



34* 



402 



THIRD BOOK OF 



Se signifies aside 

Sine without 

Sub under 

Subter beneath 

Super over, above 



as, seduce, secede. 

... sinecure, simplicity. 

... swimit, suffuse, sacceed. 

... subterfuge. 

... superstructure. 



(Super has sometimes the French form, sur, in composition with 
English words ; as, swrmount, sz^rpass, <fcc.) 

Trans beyond, across ... transact, transport. 

Ultra beyond . . tramontane. 



A 

Amphi 

Ana 

Anti 

Apo 

Auto 

Cata 

Dia 

Epi 

Hyper 

Hypo 

Meta 

Para 

Peri 

Syn 

Philo 



GREEK PREFIXES. 

signifies negation, or privation ; as, apathetic, anonymous. 

both ... amphibious. 

through, up ... anatomy. 

against ... ^In^ichrist, antarctic. 

from, away ... apostate, apostle. 

— self ... apograph, automaton. 

down . . . ca/fapult, catarrh. 

through . . . diaphanous, diatribe, diameter. 

upon ... epitaph, epigram. 

over, above ... hypercritical, hyperbole. 

■ under ... hypothesis, hypocrite. 

instead of, beyond... metaphor, metamorphose. 

beside, from . . . parallel, joarasol. 

about . . . joerimeter, periphery. 

together ... syntax, sympathy. 

friendly to ... philanthropy, philosophy. 



AFFIXES OR TERMINATIONS. 

Nouns ending in an, ant, ar, ard, ary, eer, ent, er, ist, ive, or, ster, — 
denote the agent or doer ; as, comedian, accountant, liar, dotard, ad- 
versary, charioteer, student, maker, elocutionist, representative, pro- 
fessor, maltster. 

Nouns ending in ate, ee, ite, — denote the person or thing acted upon, 
being derived from the Latin and French terminations of the past 
participle, — atus, itus, and ee; as, mandate, lessee, favourite. 

Nouns ending in acy, age, ance, ancy, ence, ency, hood, tion or sion, 
ism, ment, mony, ness, ry, ship, th, tude, ty or ity, ure, y, — denote be- 
ing, or a state of being ; as, effeminacy, heritage, inheritance, constancy, 
reference, excellency, neighbourhood, combustion, heroism, judgment, 
parsimony, loudness, adversary, worship, heal^A, latitude, plenty, judi- 
cature, butchery. 

Nouns ending in dom, ic, ick, — denote jurisdiction; as dukedom, 
bishopric, bailiwick. 

Nouns ending in logy, — denote treating of; as, conchofoay. 

Nouns ending in let, kin, ling, ock, cle, — denote littleness; as, 
bracelet, lambkin, gosling, hillock, particte. 

Adjectives ending in ac, al, an, ar, ary, en, ic or ical, He, ine, ory f 
— denote of or belonging to ; as, ammoniac, claustra/, meridian, sec- 
ular, military, brazen, eccentric, puerite, masculine, transitory. 



READING LESSONS . 



403 



Adjectives ending in ate, ful, ose, oits, some, y,— denote j 
or abounding in; as, precipitate, skilful, verbose, pompom, nk 
pithy. 

_ Adjectives ending in ish, like, ly,— denote likeness.— Ish sometimes 
signifies diminution ; as reddish, a little red ; in most cases it inn 
some degree of contempt ; as, womanish, soldierlike, manly. 

Adjectives ending in ent, ive, — denote active capacity; as, r. •- 
splendew^, persuasive. 

Adjectives ending in able, ible, — denote passive capacity ; as, ami- 
able, referrible. 

Adjectives ending in less, — denote privation; as, houseless. 

Verbs ending in ate, en, fy, ish, ise, ize, — denote to make ; 
elongate, embolden, beautify, embelk'sA, criticise, harmon/ze. 

Words ending in escent, — denote progression ; as, evanescent. 

Words ending in ward, — denote direction; as, upward. 

Words ending in ite, ote, ot, an, ish, ard, — denote of a particular 
nation, sect, &c. ; as, Israelite, Sciote, Austrian, Irish, English, Sa- 
voyard 



EXERCISES. 



Let a root be given to the pupil, to which he is to apply all the 
prefixes and affixes of which it is susceptible, viz., Form, inform, 
conform, deform, <fcc. ; informer, deform^y, conformation, forma/, kc. 



LATIN AND GREEK ROOTS. 



LATIN NOUNS. 



Ager, afield, hence, agriculture. 
Angulus, a corner, . . . angular. 
Animus, the mind, ... unanimous. 
Anima, the soul, ... animate. 
Annus, a year, ... annual. 
Aqua, water, ... aqueduct. 

Arbiter, a judge, ... arbitrate. 
Anna, arms, ... army. 

Ars, artis, skill, ... artist. 
Artus, a joint, ... article. 
Bellum;- war, ... belligerent. 

Caput, capitis, the head, capital. 
Caro, carnis, ^/tesA, ... carnal. 
Circus, a circle, ... circus. 
Civis, a citizen, . . . civil. 
Cor, cordis, the heart, concord. 
Corona, a crown, ... coronet. 
Corpus, a body, ... corporal. 
Crimen, a crime, ... criminal. 
Crux, crucis, a cross, crucify. 



Culpa, a fault, hence, culpable. 
Cura, care, business, curate. 
Dens, a tooth, ... dentist. 

Dies, a day, ... diary. 

Dominus, a lord, ... dominion. 
Domus, a house, ... domestic. 
Exemplum, an example, exemplar 

Facies, a face, 

Fama, a report. 

Familia, a family, 

Fanum, a temple, 

Ferrum, iron, 

Femioa, a woman, 

Finis, the < nd or limit, finite. 

Fiamma, aflame, ... flambeau. 

Flos, floris, a. flower, 

Folium, a leaf, 

Forma, form, 

Fraus, deceit, 



surf;. 

famous. 

familiar. 

pro fa mu. 

ferreous, 

feminine. 



florist 

foliage. 

formation 

fraud. 



404 



THIRD BOOK OF 



Frigus, cold, hence, frigid. 
Frons, the forehead, front. 
Fumus, smoke, ... perfume. 
Grex, gregis, a flock, congregate. 
Globus, a ball, ... globe. 
Haeres, an heir, ... inherit. 
Homo, a man, ... human. 
Honor, honour, ... honourable. 
Hospes, a host, ... hospitable. 
Hostis, an enemy, ... hostile. 
Humus, the ground, humid. 
Ignis, fire, ... ignite. 

Insula, an island, ... iusular. 
Jus, right, ... just. 

Juris, right, ... jurisdiction. 

Lex, legis, law, ... legislate. 
Liber, a book, ... library. 

Libra, a balance, ... equilibrium. 
Litera, a /e^er, ... literature. 
Locus, a place, ... local. 
Luna, the moon, ... lunar. 
Lux, lucis, /i^^, ... lucid. 
Maims, the hand, ... manual. 
Mare, the sea, ... marine. 



Mater, mother, 



maternal. 



Merx, mercis, merchandize, mer- 
chant. 

Minister, a servant,... ministry. 

Modus, a manner, ... model. 

Mons, a mountain, ... mount. 

Mors, mortis, death, . . . mortal. 

Munus, muneris, a <^, munifi- 
cence. 

Musa, a s<m#, ... amuse. 

Navis, a sAzp, ... naval. 



Nox, noctis, nigh whence, nocturnal. 
JSTumerus, a number, numerous. 
Oculus, the eye, ... oculist. 
Opus, operis, work, ... operate. 
Os, ossis, a bone, ... ossify, 
pars, partis, a part, particle, 
pater, father, . ... paternal, 
pax, pacis, peace, ... pacific. 
Pes, pedis, a foot, ... pedestal, 
planta, a plant, ... plantation. 
Poena, punishment, . . . penal. 
Pondus, weight, ... ponder. 
Populus, the people, populate. 
Porta, a gate, ... portal. 

Prseda, prey, booty, ... predatory. 
Pretium, jtm'ce, or reward, precious. 
Pugnus, the^s^, ... pugnacious. 
Quies, rest, ease, ... quiescent. 
Radius, a ray, ... radiant. 
Radix, a root, ... radical. 

Rota, a wheel, ... rotatory. 

Salus, health, ... salutary. 

Semen, seed, ... disseminate 

Signum, a sign, ... signify. 
Socius, a companion, social. 
Sonus, a sound, ... sonorous. 
Stilla, a drop, ... instil. 

Tempus, time, ... temporal. 
Terra, the earth, .. terrene. 
Testis, a vjitness, ... testify. 
Turba, a crowd, ... turbulent. 
Unda, a wave, ... undulate. 
Verbum, a word, ... verbose. 
Via, a way, ... devious. 

Vinum, wine, ... vineyard. 



LATIN ADJECTIVES. 



Acer, acris, sharp, hence, acrid. 
^Equus, equal, ... equable. 
Amplus, large, ... amplify. 
Asper, rough, ... asperity. 

Bonus, good, . . . bounty. 

Bene, well, ... benefactor. 

Brevis, short, ... brevity. 

Cavus, hollow, ... concave. 
Celer, swift, ... celerity. 

Celeber, renowned, . . . celebrate. 
Centum, a hundred, century. 
Clarus, clear, ... clarify. 

Clemens, merciful, ... clemency. 
Curvus, crooked, ... curvature. 



Decern, ten, hence, 
Densus, thick, 
Dignus, worthy, 
Dubius, doubtful, ... 
Durus, hard, 
Felix, happy, 
F 'est us, joyful, 
Firmus, strong, 
Fortis, brave, 
Grandis, great, 
Gratus, grateful 
Gravis, heavy, 
Inanis, empty, 
Integer, whole 



decimal. 

density. 

dignity. 

indubitable. 

durance. 

felicity. 

festive. 

firm. 

fortitude. 

grandeur. 

gratitude. 

gravity. 

inanity. 

integrity. 





READING 


LESSONS. 


40£ 


Latus, broad, hence, latitude. 


Par, like, hence 


, parity. 


Laxus, loose, 


... laxity. 


Primus, first, 


. primeval. 


Levis, light, 


... levity. 


Privus, single, 


. private. 


Liber, free, 


... liberty. 


Probus, honest, 


. probity. 


Longus, long, 


... longitude. 


Quatuor, four, 


quarter. 


Magnus, great, 


... magnitude. 


Qualis, of to hat kind 


, quality. 


Malus, bad, 


... malice. 


Sacer, holy, 


. sacred. 


Maturus, ripe, 


... maturity. 


Sagus, knowing, 


. sagacity. 


Medius, middle, 


... medium. 


Senex, old, 


. senator. 


Minor, less, 


... minority. 


Severus, severe, 


. severity. 


Mirus, wonderful, 


... miracle. 


Similis, like, 


similar. 


Miser, wretched, 


... misery. 


Solidus, solid, 


. solidity. 


Multus, many, 


... multitude. 


Solus, alone, 


. solitary. 


Novus, new, 


... novel. 


Verus, true, 


. verity. 




LATIN 


VERBS. 


• 


Ago, I do or act, hence, agent. 


Do, I give, hence 


, donor. 


Actus, acted, 


... actor. 


Doceo, I teach, 


. docile. 


Aino, I love, 


... amiable. 


Duco, I lead or draw, ductile. 


Apto, I fit, 


... adapt. 


Emo, I buy, 


redeem. 


Arceo, I drive away, coerce. 


Erro, I wander, 


error. 


Ardeo, I burn, 


... ardent. 


Fallo, I deceive, 


. fallible. 


Arguo, I argue, 


... argument. 


Facio, I do or make, 


factory. 


Audio, I hear, 


... audible. 


Fendo, I strike, 


defend. 


Augeo, I increase, 


... augment. 


Fero, I carry, 


. ferry. 


Bibo, I drink, 


... imbibe. 


Ferveo, I boil, 


fervour. 


Cado, I fall, 


... accident. 


Fido, I trust, 


fidelity. 


Caedeo, I cut or beat, suicide. 


Flecto, I bend, 


. inflect. 


Cando, I burn, 


... candle. 


Fligo, I beat, 


afflict. 


Cano, I sing, 


y canticle. 


Fluo, I flow, 


. fluid. 


Cantus, sung, 


Frango, I break, 


. fragment. 


Capio, I take, 


... capable. 


Fractus, broken, 


. refract. 


Captus, taken, 


... captive. 


Fugio, I fly, 


. fugitive. 


Cedo, I yield, 


... cede. . 


Fulgeo, I shine, 


. fulgency. 


Cessus, yielded, 


... access. 


Fundo, I pour out, .. 


. refund. 


Censeo, I judge, 


... censor. 


Fusus, poured out, .. 


. fusion. 


Cerneo, I discern, 


.. certain. 


Genitus, begotten, .. 


. genial. 


Citus, roused, 


... excite. 


Gradior, I step, 


gradation. 


Clamo, I call out, 


... declaim. 


Gressus, stepped, .. 


. ingress. 


Claudo, I close, 


... exclude. 


Habeo, I have or hold, habitation 


Clino, I bend, 


... decline. 


Hsereo, I stick, 


. adhere. 


Colo, I till, 


... colony. 


Halo, I breathe, 


. exhale. 


Cult us, tilled, 


... cultivate. 


Jactus, thrown, 


abject. 


Credo, I believe, 


... credit. 


Junctus, joi?ied, 


. adjunct. 


Creo, I create, 


... creator. 


Lego, I send away, . . 


. legate. 


Cresco, I grow, 


... increase. 


Lego, I read, 


. legible. 


Cubo, or Cumbo, 


I lie down, re- 


Lectus, read, 


lecture. 


cumbent. 




Ligo, I bind, 


. ligament. 


Curro, I run, 


... current. 


Loquor, I speak, 


eloquent. 


Dico, I say, 


... predict. 


Luo, I wash away, .. 


. ablution. 


Divido, I divide, 


... dividend. 


Mando, I command, 


mandate. 



406 



THIRD BOOK OF 



Maneo. I stay, hence, mansion. 

Medeor, I cure, ... medicine. 
Memini, I remember, memory. 

Mergo, I plunge, ... emerge. 
Metior, I measure, ... mete. 
Mensus, measured,, mensuration. 

Migro, I remove, ... emigrant. 

Misceo, I mix, ... miscellany. 

Mitto, I send, ... admit. 

Missus, sent, ... mission. 

Moneo, I advise, ... monitor. 

Moveo, I move, ... remove. 

Muto, I change, ... mutable. 
Nascor, I am born, . . . nascent. 

Nat us, born, ... native. 

Noceo, I hurt, ... innocent. 

Notus, lenown, . . . notice. 
Nuncio, I announce, enunciate. 

Oro, I pray, . . . oration. 
Paro, I make or prepare, separate. 

Pasco, lfeed, ... pastor. 

Patior, I suffer, ... patience. 

Passus, suffered, ... passion. 

Pello, I call, ... appeal. 

Pello, I drive, ... repel. 

Pendeo, I hang, ... impend. 

Peto, I seek, ... petition. 

Place o, I please, ... placid. 

Plaudo, I praise, . . . plaudit. 

Pleo, \fill, ... plenary. 

Plico, I fold, ... implicate. 

Plecto, I twist, ... perplex. 

Pono, I place, ... postpone. 

Posit us, placed, ...position. 

Porto, I carry, ... porter. 

Prehendo, I seize, ... apprehend. 

Pressus, pressed, ... impress. 

Pungo, I sting, ... pungent. 

Puto, I think, ... computed. 

Quaero, I seek, ... require. 

Qu^esitus, sought, ... question. 

Quassus, shaken, ... discuss. 

Rapio, I snatch, ... rapine. 

Rego, I ride, ... regent. 

Rectus, ruled, ... rectitude. 

Ptideo, I laugh, ... deride. 

Rogo, I ask, ... rogation. 

Ruptus, broken, ... abrupt. 



Scando, I mount, hence, ascend. 

Scio, I know, ... science. 

Scribo, I write, ... scribe. 

Seco, I cut, ... section. 

Sedeo, I sit, ... sedate. 

Sentio, 1 perceive, ... sensation. 

Sequor, 1 follow, ... sequel. 

Sero, I connect, ... series. 

Servo, I preserve, ... servant. 

Solvo, I loosen, ... dissolve. 
Spargo, I sprinkle,... asperse. 

Specio, I see, ... spectacle. 

Spiro, I breathe, ... aspire. 
Spondeo, I promise, sponsor. 

Statuo, 1 place, ... statue. 

Stino, I fix, ... destine. 
Stinguo, I put out, . . . extinguish. 

Sto, I stand, ... station. 
Stringo, I grasp hard, astringent. 

Strictus, grasped, ... strict. 

Struo, I build, ... structure. 

Sumo, I take, ... assume. 

Tango, I touch, ... tangent. 

Tendo, I stretch, ... extend. 

Tensus, stretched, ... intense. 

Teneo, I hold, ... tenacious. 

Texo, I weave, ... texture. 

Torqueo, I twist, ... torture. 
Tribuo, I give or ascribe, tribute. 

Tractus, drawn, ... extract. 

Trudo, I thrust, ... intrude. 

Vado, I go, ... evade. 
Valeo, I am strong, value. 

Veho, I carry, ... vehicle. 

Venio, I come, ... convene. 

Verto, I turn, ... avert. 

Video, I see, ... evident. 

Visus, seen, ... vision. 

Vinco, I conquer, ... vincible. 

Vivo, I live, ... vivify. 

Voco, I call, ... vocal. 

Volvo, I roll up, ... involve. 

Volo, I wish, ... voluntary. 

Voro, I devour, ... voracious. 

Votus, vowed, ... votive. 

Utor, I use, ... utensil. 

Usus, used, ... usage. 



KEATING LESSONS 



407 



GREEK ROOTS. 



Aer, the air, hence, aerial. 
Aggelos,* a messenger, angel. 
Agogos, a leader, ... demagogue. 
Agon, strife, ... agony. 

Anthos, & flower, ... anthology. 
Anthropos, a man, philanthropy. 
Arche, the beginning, government, 

anarchy. 
Argos, white, ... argent. 

Aroma, odour, ... aromatic, 
Astron, a star, ... astronomy. 
Autos, one's self, ... autocrat. 
Ballo, I throw or give, ball. 
Bapto, I wash, .. baptism. 
Biblos, a book, ... bible. 
Bios, life, ... biography. 

Bolbos, an onion, ... bulbous. 
Botane, a plant, . . . botanist. 
Chole, bile, ... choleric. 

Christos, anointed,.... Christian. 
Chroma, a colour, ... chromatics. 
Chronos, time, ... chronicle. 
Chrysos, gold, ... chrysalis. 

Demos, the people, ... democracy. 
Doxa, glory, . . . doxology. 

Dromos, a course, . . . diadrom. 
Dunamis, power, ... dynasty. 
Ergon, work, ... energy. 

Ge,* the earth, ... geography. 
Gennao, I produce, ... hydrogen. 
Genos, kind, heterogeneous. 

Gnoo, I know, ... gnomon. 

Gonia, an angle, ... trigon. 
Gramma, a letter, ... grammar. 
Grapho, I write, ... graphic. 
Gymnos, naked, ... gymnasium. 
Hedra, a seat, ... cathedral. 
Harmonia, agreement, harmony. 
Hebdomas, a week, hebdomadal. 
Hekaton, a hundred, hecatomb. 
Helios, the sun, ... aphelion. 
Hemera, a dag, . . . ephemeral. 
Hemi, half ... hemisphere. 

Hepta, seven, ... heptarchy. 

Heteros, dissimilar, heterodox. 
Hex, six, ... hexagon. 

Hieros, holy, . . . hierarchy. 



Holos, the whole, hence, catholic. 
Hodos, a way, ... method. 

Homos, like, homogeneous. 

Hydor, water, ... hydrogen. 

Hygros, moist, ... hygrometer. 
Ichthys, a fish, ... ichthyology. 
Idios, peculiar, ... idiomatic. 
Kakos, bad, ... cacography. 

Kalos, beautiful, ... caligraphy. 
Kalypto, I cover, ... apocalypse. 
Kanon, a rule,' ... canonical. 
Kardia, the heart, ... cardiac. 
Kephale, the head, . . . cephalic. 
Kosmos, the world, cosmography. 
Kranion, the skull,... cranium. 
Kratos, power, . . . aristocracy. 
Krino, I discern, ... criterion. 
Krypto, I hide, ... crypt. 
Kyklos, a circle, ... cylinder. 
Laos, the people, ...laity. 
Lego, I speak or read, elegy. 
Lethe, forgetfulness, lethargy. 
Lepsis, a taking, ... analeptic. 
Lithos, a stone, ... lithography. 
Logos, a word, ... logic. 
Luo, I dissolve, ... analysis. 
Mache, a battle, . . . monomachy. 
Mania, madness, ... maniac. 
Mantis, a prophet, . . . necromancy. 
Martyr, a witness, . . . martyrdom. 
Mathesis, learning, mathematics. 
Mechane, a machine, mechanist. 
Melan, black, ... melancholy. 

Metros, a mother, ... metropolis. 
Metron, a measure,... metre. 
Mikros, little, ... microscope. 

Misos, hatred, misanthrope. 

Mneme, memory, ... mnemonics. 
Monos, alone, monosyllable. 

Morphe, shape, metamorphosis. 
Mythos, & fable, ... mythology. 
Kaus, a ship, . . . nautical. 

Neos, new, ... neophyte. 

Nesos, an island, Peloponnesus. 
Neuron, a nerve, .... aneurism. 
Nomos, a rule or law, economy. 
Ode, a poem or song, melody. 



* Pronounced, angellos—g hard. 

t G-, in Greek, always sounds hard, as in 



408 THIRD BOOK OF READING LESSONS. 



Odos, a way, hence, Exodus. 



Oikesis, a dvjelling, 
Oligos, few, 
Onoma, a name, 
Optomai, I see, 
Orama, a view, 
Orthos, right, 
Osteon, a bone, 
Ostrakon, a shell, . 
Oxys, acid, 
Pagos, a hill, 



diocess. 

oligarchy. 

anonymous. 

optic. 

diorama. 

orthodox. 

osteology. 

ostracism. 

oxygen. 

areopagus. 



Pous, podos, a/o<tf,hence.antipodes 
Praktos, done, ... practical. 



Pais, paidos, a boy,... pedagogue. 



Pan, all 
Pathos, feeling, 
Petalon, a leaf, 
Petros, a stone, 
Phago, I eat, 
Phaino, I show. 



... panacea. 
... pathetic. 
... petals. 
... petrify. 
...sarcophagus. 
... phasis 



Pharmakon, a remedy, pharmacy. 
Philos, a lover, ... philosopher. 
Phone, a sound, ... euphony. 
Phos, light, ... phospher. 

Phrasis, a phrase, . . . antiphrasis. 
Phrenos, the mind,... phrenology. 



Phyton, sl plant, 
Phusis, nature, 
Plasso, I form, 
Pneuma, the wind, 
Polemos, war, 
Poleo, I sell, 
Polis, a city, 
Polys, many, 
Potamos, a river, 



zoophyte. 
... physics. 
.. plastic. 
... pneumatics. 
... polemics. 
... monopoly. 
.. policy. 
... polyanthus. 
;.. polamology. 



Protos, first. 
Psyche, the soul, 
Pteron, a wing, 
?yr, fire, 
Rheo, I flow, 
Sarx, flesh, 
Skelos, the leg, 
Skopeo, I see, 
Sepo, 1 putrefy, 
Sophia, wisdom, 
Stereos, solid, firm, 
Stello, I send. 



protocol, 
psychology 
diptera. 
pyre, 
rhetoric, 
sarcasm, 
isosceles, 
microscope, 
antiseptic. 
.. philosophy, 
stereotype, 
apostle. 



Stichos, a line or verse, distich. 
Stratos, an army, ... stratagem. 
Strophe, a turning, antistrophe. 



cenotaph. 
... tautology. 
... technical. 
... telescope. 
... tetrarchy. 

pentateuch. 



Taphos, a tomb, 
Tautos, the same, 
Techne, art, 
Telos, distance, 
Tetras, four, 
Teuchos, a booh, 

Thema, a thing put forth, theme. 
Thesis, & position, ... hypothesis. 
Theos, God, ... theism. 

Tomos, a section, a cutting, anat- 
omy. 
Tonos, a tone, ... intonation. 

Topos, a place, ... topical. 
Trope, a turning, ... tropic. 
Typos, a figure, a pattern, a type. 
Zoon, an animal, ... zodiac. 



EXERCISE. 



Repose (Lesson I.) is derived from the Latin root pono. By ap- 
plying seriatim all tne prefixes, the following English words are found : 
— Verbs, pose, post, compose, depose, deposit, dispose, expose, impose, 
interpose, oppose, postpone, propose, repose, suppose, transpose, de- 
compose, discompose, &c; substantives, position, posture, post, posi- 
tiveness, apposition, compost, composition, composer, compositor, 
decomposition, deposer, deposition, deponent, disposition, disposer, 
disposal, exposition, exposer, impostor, imposture, imposition, inter- 
position, juxtaposition, opposer, opponent, opposition, postponement, 
postponer, preposition, proposal, proposer, proposition, repose, repos- 
itory, supposition, superposition, transposer, transposition, indisposi- 
tion, <fcc. ; adjectives, positional, positive, apposite, component, oppo- 
site, supposititious; besides the participial adjectives, composing, 
composed, deposing, deposed, <fec. 



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